Time Can't Heal All Wounds
by IlaunaDespain
Summary: Kris Richardson is sent back in time to stop Dean from going dark. Does she have the strength to do what must be done, even if it means loosing herself and her family.
1. Chapter 1

Time Can't Heal All Wounds

Chapter 1

 _ **Not What You Think**_

She finished packing her bag as Castiel entered her room. "You won't be able to take that with you." She paused but didn't turn to him. She had never hated Castiel, over time he had become her best friend. His odd way of looking at things, so black and white most of the time, while at the same time being able to compromise. He had pulled her ass out of the fire more times then she cared to admit. Right now she wanted nothing more then to hurt him, hurt him the way she was being ripped apart inside.

"So basically," she said with ice in her voice, "I get there with nothing but the cloths on my back." She finally rounded on him. "Or can't I take those with me as well."

Castiel said nothing. His eyes were down cast, and for the first time he was fidgeting. She didn't think angels fidgeted. For a brief second she felt bad for him. Then she remembered what he was about to do to her and all the pity vanished.

He shook his head, "I am sorry."

"Don't worry honey," her dad said stepping behind Cas. She brushed passed Castiel and wrapped her arms around her father. His hug wasn't as strong as she knew it could be. He was weaker and his massive frame felt so frail under her arms. "You'll do good."

"I'll never see you again Dad, even if this works."

She felt him chuckle and she was little irked with him. He was dying on her and he was laughing at her, "You know what I mean Dad. It won't be you, you. You'll be different."

"I know, but you can tell me what your mother never did." She stiffened the way she always did when he would talk about Mom. "Who knows, we might get more time."

"But what do I tell you two until then? I can't tell them…I mean you, the truth."

He shrugged, "You're like your uncle…"

"I Am Nothing Like Him!" she quickly interrupted, looking up at him.

He smiled down at her, "I meant you can think on your feet." He hugged her tighter, which wasn't much. "It'll work out."

Cas cleared his throat, "If we are going to do this it needs to be soon. They're trying to break in. I can feel it."

Her dad nodded, then gripped her shoulder and held her from him, "Remember, he hasn't done any of this yet. There is still time to save him."

Tears were filling her eyes. Stupid girly thing, she thought to herself. "And what if I can't save him Dad."

His forehead crinkled and he frowned, "Then like your grandpa once told him, if you can't save him, you'll have to kill him."


	2. Chapter 2

Time Can't Heal All Wounds

Chapter 2

 _ **Where Every Winchester Has Gone… at least once**_

Sam pushed his daughter towards Castiel, "Take Kris to the dungeon. I can hold Dean and Crowley back while you finish the spell."

Kris gripped her dad tighter, "No Dad, please. They'll kill you."

Sam kissed her forehead, "It'll be alright. Now go with Cass."

She felt Castiel grip her shoulders and start to guide her way from Sam. She kept shaking her head. They were half way down the hall when she broke free of Cass's hold and ran back to her dad. She threw her arms around him, nearly knocking him down. "I love you, Dad," she whispered.

"I love you too, Kris." A quick hug and he was pushing her down the hall, "Now go. Be safe."

She turned back to Castiel, who was waiting patiently for her with his hand out stretch. "It's time Kristina. Let's get you somewhere safer." Kris took the offered hand and didn't look back as Cass led her to the dungeon. She hated the way he always combined her first and middle name.

Cass sealed them both in, what her dad liked to call the Dungeon. She walked to the center of the room, the floor and walls already covered with sigils probable done with Cass's blood. "Will it hurt?"

She looked over her shoulder at him, "It will make you weak." He told her. "But you should arrive right inside this room."

"How far back are you sending me?"

"To well after you were born, just to be on the safe side."

Kris grinned, slightly, "You mean to make sure I can't pull a Chris Halliwell?"

Castiel nodded. Kris had gotten him to watch the last three sessions of Charmed. 'The only good ones," she had told him. It should have taken three days, or so she had told him. It had taken a week, because she had to keep stopping between episodes to make sure he was following it. In fact it had been those sessions that had given Castiel the idea to send her back in time.

"If I do this right, you should arrive well after your birth." He slipped her the key to the bunker, "I am hoping this will convince them you are at least on their side."

Kris nodded, "Because my great grandfather had the only one." She didn't take her eyes off the key. "Cas, I'm scared. Even if this works, I'll never see you guys again. And then what happens to me? Do I just disappear, or what?" She was having a hard time breathing, her chest felt as if it were getting tighter.

"Breath Kristina," Castiel told her giving her shoulders a shake. "You are a Winchester, you guys always find a way. I don't know what will happen to you but I promise you won't just disappear."

There was an earth shattering CRASH, above them, and the whole bunker shook, "They've gotten through, you have to go." He didn't linger on what it meant, that they had gotten through. Sam was gone. Castiel shoved her into the middle of the room, "No matter what stay in there."

Kris nodded as another boom, this one a lot closer, shook the room. She didn't want to see what was going to happen. Her last sight was of Castiel standing in front of the dungeon doors as they were ripped of the hinges and Dean, followed by Crowley, sauntered into the room. She closed her eyes tight, she didn't want to see what they would do to Cas.

She did feel electricity passing through her body, but clamped her mouth tight. Kris would be damned to let those two hear her scream. The air reeked of burnt wires, she held her breath as long as she could. But she couldn't block out the sounds around. Angry voices, shouts, and then a yell cut short. They were gone, her dad and Castiel, her only real family. She kept her eyes closed tight, if the spell hadn't worked she didn't want to see her end coming, call it fear, call it cowardice, she didn't care. But nothing happened. Well nothing but more pain passing through her.

A feeling of her body being ripped apart, starting with her skin and running though her whole frame. Still Kris managed to keep her mouth shut, she was a Winchester god damn it, she would act like it. Her grandfather had endured over a century in hell, surly she could endure a few moments of this. Then she realized, she had no idea how long this traveling would take. Granted it only felt as if a few minutes had passed now, but who knew how long it would last.

As quickly as it started, it ended. The moment the pain stopped, Kris opened her eyes. She was still in the dungeon, there were no bloody sigils, and the doors where still intact and closed.

She breathed a sigh of relief, but that relief was short lived.

"Well Hello Darling," a very recognizable voice said from behind her.

"Oh hell no," she muttered.

She tried to move towards the doors away from that voice, but Cas had been right about being weak. Her legs not only wouldn't move but they couldn't support her weight. She crumpled to the floor, not even being able to throw up her hands to protect her face. On the bright side of being this weak, she didn't feel the pain from face planting onto the floor. She welcomed the darkness that followed, she wouldn't see what Crowley had planed for her and she knew she could morn the death of her father and best friend there.


	3. Chapter 3

Time Can't Heal All Wounds

Chapter 3

 _ **You're Not Going To Believe This But…**_

Kevin Tran had been sitting at the main table in the bunker, when it started to shake. His first thought was, 'Oh crap, more angles falling, the bunker's going to lock down, and I'll be stuck in here again."

By the time he jumped out of the chair and made it to the bottom of the staircase the shaking had stopped. He stood there a minute, waiting for the lights, bells and whistle to start going off. But nothing happened. Just the sound of his breathing.

He glanced around the room, it wasn't like before, there were no lights, the doors would still open and now that he thought about it the shaking had come from within.

Dean and Sam were off on a hunt, something about virgins going missing. There was no way he wanted them to think he was weak, so rather then call them he simply grabbed one of Dean's many guns and started searching the bunker for whatever had caused the shaking.

Given that the bunker was pretty massive, it took him awhile to get to what Sam liked to call the 'dungeon'. It was his least favorite place given that it held his least favorite person, so he saved it for last. Happily the doors to it were still closed. He was about to turn way from them and head back upstairs, chalking it up to a mild earthquake, when he heard distinct sounds coming from that dreaded room. Crowley seemed to be chuckling and talking to himself.

Kevin returned to the door, pressed his ear against it. Crowley's voice was still muffled, but he was defiantly laughing now. "That can't be a good sign," he said softly to himself as he opened the doors and slid the bookcase's out of the way.

Crowley was still in his spot, chained up, holding his hands in front of him. "It wasn't me," he offered. The dungeon was lit by two low hanging lights, that were still swaying from the trembling earlier. They were casting odd shadows over the figure laying on the ground in front of the desk. Kevin kept the gun aimed at the figure as he made his way to the center of the room. He ignored the monster in the middle of the room.

"Who are you?" he shouted, grateful there was no trembling in his voice. Last thing he wanted was to sound weak in front of Crowley. The figure moved it's head slightly, and mumbled something he couldn't hear. "What?"

"Oh come on. Not even a 'How ya doing,'" Crowley mocked.

Another mumble, but the figure didn't move. Once Kevin got closer he could see it was a female with brown hair and she was laying face down in a small pool of blood. "Roll over so I can see you better."

This time he could hear her better, but still had to strain his ears to catch what she said, "I can't."

"I do have a gun," he told her, "and I have no problem shooting you."

"Oh I like it when you get all protective."

"Shut the hell up, Crowley," Kevin growled at him.

There was a slight pause, the only part of the person moving was from her breathing. "I physically can't." Again the voice was barley above a whisper. "It was a very rough trip."

Kevin kept the gun trained on her, not sure what to do now. She wasn't threatening him, but he still didn't like the fact that somehow this person had gotten into, what he considered the most secured place in the world. "Alright, I am going to roll you over with my foot, but if you move I will shoot first and ask questions later." Once the words left his mouth he realized just how dumb they sounded.

"Very tough," Crowley purred from behind the desk.

There was a slight mumbling from the girl and Kevin could make out the words, 'fuck off Crowley,' but she didn't move. He crept over to her and dug his sneaker toe under her right shoulder and flipped. He could tell she was trying to help roll but she must have been telling the truth about being unable to. She flopped over, more then rolled, like a dead fish.

Her nose was bloody, and Kevin could see her lip was split pretty bad. "What happened to you?" His first question probably should have been 'How did you get in here?'

The girl took a deep breath, "I face planted on the floor. I was too weak to catch myself. Am I still in the bunker?"

The only part of Kris's body that didn't hurt right now were her eyes, and those she kept roving around the dungeon. Her insides felt a little better when she realized that Crowley was chained up, but she didn't couldn't put a name to this Asian boys face. Although she was sure she should know him.

He still had the gun trained on her, but she was to drained to move on her own. When he didn't answer her first question she moved onto her second. "When is it?" Even those two little questions took a lot out of her. The guys eyebrows furrowed.

"It's November, 2013 Dear," Crowley answered for him. God she wished he wasn't here. Castiel had sent her back to well after her birthday.

"Shut the fuck up Crowley," Kris hissed as loud as she could. It still only came out as more mumbling.

"Language Darling," he continued to bait her.

"How did you get in here?" The boy asked.

"She literally just.."

A gun shot echoed loudly in her ear. "I believe she told you to shut up," the boy told Crowley. She liked him already.

"Kevin, this was my favorite shirt!" His voice was a mock whine.

Kevin! This was Kevin Tran. The Prophet.

Kevin was helping her to her feet, "I think we'll continue this somewhere else."

"Thank you," Kris mumbled. "I'm Kris, by the way."

"Kevin."

Kevin lead Kris out of the dungeon, through the library and into one of the many spar rooms. He didn't say a word as he plopped her on the bed then helped her get a little more comfortable. She was too wiped out to protest when he slapped a cuff on her left wrist then connected it to the headboard.

"Sorry," he told her, "this is just to be on the safe side."

Kris just closed her eyes and gave a slight nod. It wouldn't be the first time she had been handcuffed to a bed. "Don't worry about it," she mumbled.

"So how did you get in here?"

She thought about it for a moment, she would need someone who was at least on the same chapter as she was, even if she couldn't give him the page. "I'll make you a deal. I will tell you everything I can with a condition. You can not tell Sam and Dean, at least not yet."

"I'm not a big fan of keeping things from those two. They do that enough to each other."

Kris grinned, "Yea they do. Alright here is how I got in." She reached in to her right pocket and pulled out the Key to the bunker. "I was able to get in because I had this on me." She handed it over to him.

Kevin stared at it, "Is this a copy of the bunker key?"

She shook her head, "No, there is only one. This key is The key, it's just from thirty years in the future. Castiel gave it to me before he sent me here. I am from the future."


	4. Chapter 4

Time Can't Heal All Wounds

Chapter 4

 **Secrets of the Bunker**

Kevin had left the room right after Kris had told him where she was from. She must have dosed off, because when she opened her eyes her body didn't feel as sore.

"Well first things first," she said to the empty room. Pulling a hair pin out of her pony tail, she sat up and began working on the lock. She counted in her head, just out of curiosity, to see how long it would take her. Her best time was thirty seconds. She beat that be ten. Kris rubbed her wrist and swung her legs off the bed. She got her first real look at the room.

"You have got to be shitting me."

Of all the rooms Kevin could have chosen to dump her in, he picked her room. She would recognize it anywhere. Her Dad had… Kris stopped that thought in it's tracks. She needed more time and if she was lucky, she could stop it from happening.

Kris got to her feet pushing those thoughts out of her head. If Kevin was still alive then there was still time to stop it all from happening. But she had to be careful, and not change to much of the past. Granted she was already born, so there was no chance of her messing that up, and given what the future held she doubted she could make it worse for anyone.

She ran her hand over the dresser on the far wall, when her bedroom door opened. She faced forward, keeping her hands at her side and in plain sight.

Kevin walked in carrying a plate with a sandwich on it. He stopped in the door when he saw her up and about. "How did…"

She smiled at him, "Sam taught me how to pick handcuffs. I have it down twenty seconds."

She moved back to the bed and sat on the edge as Kevin entered the room and set the sandwich on the bedside table. "So are you going to tell me the whole story?" He asked taking a seat beside her.

"Yes, but first I have a question for you." She turned to face him, "Why are you trusting me right now?"

"The key. It's a dead ringer for the key to this place, and Dean and Sam say it's the only one. I trust them."

She smiled, "Well it's the truth. I am from the future, Castiel sent me back right before." Kris hesitated. "Right before he died."

"How did he die?"

"This is the part you can't tell Sam or Dean." She looked him dead in the face, "Dean goes dark, and I mean really, really, dark. The day I come back, Dean kills Sam AND Castiel. I am sure he would have killed me too but Cas was able to send me here. "

Now Kevin was shaking his head, "No. Never. Dean would never hurt Sam like that, and Castiel is his best friend."

"Maybe the Dean now a days, but believe me, he doesn't just go off the reservation, he burns the place to the ground. The Dean from my timeline, is a monster. He was killing for the sport of it and it didn't matter who he slaughtered." She grabbed Kevin's hand, "The Dean I knew is more then able to kill innocent people, he goes looking for the most innocent and rips them to shreds. I can't kill him, it would destroy Sam, so I have to stop it from happening."

"Alright let's say I do believe you, why wouldn't Sam or even Castiel have come themselves?"

"They couldn't, Dean could have tracked Cas," she hesitated remembering how frail her dad had been at the end. "and Sam wouldn't have survived the trip, the fight with Dean took a lot out of him."

There was a pause in the conversation. Kris let Kevin think about what she had told him. "So what is your plan?"

"Thank you," she told him. "First off, where are Sam and Dean?"

"They were called by a friend of theirs, Jody Mills. Something about virgins going missing. I believe they think it's a dragon."

Kris shook her head, "No it's a demi-goddess by the name Vesta. They'll be fine. When did they leave?"

"Yesterday, why?"

"I don't want to have a lot of major changes to this time line. What are we going to tell them about me, when they get back?"

Kevin stood up and headed to the door, "You're here to help me research the tablets."

Kris followed Kevin out of her room and back into the library. "That's right the tablets. Sounds good. Wait a minute, Crowley saw me arrive. Won't that little worm tell them?"

Kevin pulled out a seat for her and grinned, "Lets just say it might be in his best interest to keep his mouth shut."

She took the seat and saw the tablets laying on the table in front of her, she picked one up and warm energy seeped up her arm. She wondered if Kevin felt this every time he touched the tablets. "Alright then, lets get started."

It amazed Kris how Kevin just took her at her word, he seemed to just be going with the flow. She just hoped when the time came he would trust her with his life.

After about a day of just watching Kevin translate the tablet and reading a few of her favorite ritual books Kris got board. "Alright I am board."

"Well no one said decrypting the tablet is glamorous work.

"I think you need a break," she headed towards her room but stopped at the archway separating the rooms. "You wanna see something cool?" Kris asked running her hand up the middle of the wall. She felt the slight indentation, something you would miss unless you knew it was already there, or had been shoved into it and your elbow had just happened to hit it. She shoved it in and the wall slide back to reveal a room that hadn't been occupied for sixty years.

She turned to find Kevin standing right behind her, the tablet forgotten for the moment. "How did…"

"Sam was goofing around with me and shoved me into this wall once, I just happened to hit the right spot and poof," she gestured to the room.

"What is it?"

"This dear Kevin, is where the Men of Letters kept their accounting records."

She reached her right hand inside and felt along the wall. She found the light switch, she flipped it and for a second the room was illuminated, then bulb blew. "Oh yea, that happened the first time too."

After Kris showed Kevin where the extra bulbs were kept, she was starting to think she new this bunker better then he did, he stood in awe at the records room. It wasn't that big, maybe the size of a small apartment bedroom, but it was floor to ceiling with nothing but filing cabinets.

"Are there other secret rooms like this?" he asked as she opened the top and third drawer of two separate filing cabinets.

"I am sure there are multiple rooms that are hidden," she informed him as she removed a thick manila envelope from the first filing cabinet and a smaller plain white envelope from the second. "This place was build by seven different contractors, has eight different floor plans, and there isn't a single master floor plan created." Kris shut the filing cabinets and turned to faced Kevin. "The Men of Letters weren't hunters, they relied on other means to financially support their group." She held up both envelopes, "These are the finances for the Men since they were created, and believe me, it's not chump change."

"Are you saying the boys are rich?"

Kris smiled as she walked passed Kevin, "I am saying Kevin, that the Men of Letters are rich and you sir are a Man of Letters. Now, lets go shopping."

After a brief visit with the law firm that handled the Men of Letters accounts, Kris and Kevin headed out to do a little shopping. Kevin had pointed out that is they were going to go with 'she's an old friend', Kris would need some new cloths.

Loaded down with a few new outfits, mostly flannel of course, and a trunk load of groceries they headed back to the bunker. Kevin needed this break, Kris could tell. He wouldn't tell her the last time he was out of the bunker, but if the dark circles under his eyes were any indication, he really needed a break.

It took three trips between the two of them to get all the groceries into the kitchen, while they were unloading Kris head a familiar and very painful voice.

"I still don't understand why Vesta would say that about me."

Kris looked over at Kevin, "Their back." For some reason her heart thrummed harder in her chest.

"Let me talk to them first," Kevin said setting the last bag of food on the counter. "Kind of ease into it."

She nodded, "I'll put the food away. Call to me when your are ready."

Kevin nodded then left the kitchen.


	5. Chapter 5

**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**

Chapter 4

 **A Second Chance At A First Meeting**

The voices in the other room had Kris's full attention. Every time Sam spoke her chest tightened and she had to fight the urge to run into that room and hug him. 'It's not time, it's not time,' she repeated over and over in her head. Before she knew it the food was put away and she had nothing to occupy her hands or her mind, all she could do was listen to the voice of her father and the man who would one day kill him.

"So when I got stuck on a literal translation I call up an old school buddy of mine." Kevin was explaining to the boys why Kris was here and why he trusted her. Granted he tried to stick to the little truths. Like she had just kind of shown up, and she was helping with the extra research. But other then those little truths he was making this up as he went. They seemed to be buying it, well at least Sam did. Dean was a little more skeptical.

"So you just called her up and offered to show her the Bat Cave?" Dean asked gesturing towards the library. "What part of a secret lair, is hard to understand"

Kevin rolled his eyes, "Oh I'm sorry, tell me again who was it that let the red head in?" Kevin asked referring to Charlie. "But that must be okay cause she was your friend?"

"Hey Charlie was an asset…"

"And so is Kris." Kevin rubbed the bridge of his nose, he was getting a migraine. "Look guys I needed her help and she dropped everything to come and help me out. She has always been into this kind of thing, which is what made me think of her. She's only here to help me and lets face it Dean, with all the angel possessions going on, we need the help."

Dean glanced at Sam who shrugged his shoulders, "I think he's right Dean. If we really want to reverse Metatron's spell we will need all the help we can get. And since our best 'asset' is off having her own adventures in OZ, I think we should take it."

Dean looked between the two of them, "Alright, fine. Since I am out voted here. When do we get to meet the little star shine?"

Kris heard Kevin calling her name but she hesitated. The last time she had seen her father, he had been on death's door. Weak from the fight with his brother and ready to die to protect her.

Kevin called her name again, this time as more of a question. Taking a deep breath and preparing herself mentally for what she would see, she went into the library.

Kevin was leaning against the table, while Sam and Dean stood in front of him. Her first thought was, 'damn they are really young looking.'

She had meet Dean just the one time and by then he was so far gone that it had been a meeting she tried to forget. Her dad was right, the difference between the two men were so obvious. The Dean from her timeline sucked every good emotion from the room, inspired a flight response that spoke to you on a very primitive level, there was nothing warm or caring in his eyes, only death and destruction. This Dean, was a stark contrast. He was relaxed, warm, and just from his stance alone she understood why Kevin had said he would never hurt Sam. The concern for his little brother was written all over his face. This Dean she liked right away, this Dean, she would save.

Kris plastered a smile on her face and hoped they hadn't notice the slight hesitation in her step. She crossed the room towards Dean first with her hand extended, "Hi, I'm Kris Richardson. It's nice to meet you." Dean took her hand warmly and she held herself there, refusing to shrink back. ' _This is the good Dean._ ' she told herself. Dean gave her a slight nod.

Her attention turned to her father, Sam. She could tell he wasn't right. There was something off about him. Physically he looked fine to her, fit and strong. But there was still something off, a missing spark she couldn't place. She was missing something and couldn't put her finger on it. "Kevin's told me a lot about you."

Sam's hand enclosed her's and she nearly lost it. He was right here, in front of her. Alive and well. She promised herself he would stay like this.

"It's nice to meet you Kris," Sam said dropping her hand. "So how did you get into this?"

"It's kind of a long story," she said trying to figure out how to proceed.

Dean took a seat, "Well we have the time." Sam followed suit and Kris decided to go with the truth.

"Alright then. I didn't get to know my real father until I was sixteen, he and my mom had kind of a one night stand."

"So your dad is a hunter?" Sam asked

Kris fought a laugh and settled for a grin. "Yea, but like I said I didn't meet him until I was sixteen. My dad… well I guess step dad was in the military and when he died in Afghanistan," ' _the second time_ ' she thought. "My mom told me about my real father. At the time I didn't want to know him," she looked at Sam. "I didn't want a second dad, I liked my first." She paused, "After my mom was killed in a car crash, I figured I would track him down and get to know him."

The first time she had meet Sam, he was a little miffed at Amelia for keeping the fact that he had a daughter. He had then been mad at Kris for tracking him down. "This is not the kind of life you want."

"You are the only family I have Sam," she had convinced herself she would never call him Dad at the time. "Where else am I suppose to go? Into the foster system?" That had been her worse fear at the time, that Sam would send her away and she would be truly alone.

"If you stay, you will do what I say, when I say and no questions asked." She had agreed but only because she didn't want to be alone. The first three months had been hard. Sam had been more like drill sergeant then a father. Castiel had told her Sam was acting like his father, doing what he had to do to keep her safe. It wasn't until she'd had a run in with Dean that Sam had finally opened up to her about what was going on.

Dean had gotten into the bunker while Sam was off with Cas. He hadn't expected there to be anyone in there, having it on good authority that Sam and Castiel were on a hunt, one he had caused. She had been alone with her deranged uncle for two days. Those were two days she tried with all her might to forget, but the scars on back would never let her.

It took Kevin kicking her under the table to realize that Dean had asked her a question. "I'm sorry what?" She looked up at him but didn't flinch.

"How long are you planning being here?" Dean repeated.

"Oh, I guess until Kevin doesn't need me." She looked back at Kevin and silently thanked him for pulling her back to this present.

"Look guys, we've been pretty much going non-stop. I think Kris and I need a break." He nodded to her and she agreed.

"Yea, sorry. Do you mind if Kevin and I take a break."

Dean got up and waved it off, "Yea sure."

"Oh before I forget Kevin and I found something I think you will be interested in."

Kris showed them the hidden room, as well as the new accounts in their names.

Both boys eyes widened when they saw the account statements, "That's a shit load of money." Deans eyes re-scanned the accounts, "So no more credit card fraud. Nice. I think Baby was needing a new tune up. And if I remember correctly Sammy, you were eyeballing Charlie's tablet computer thingy. Guess we can afford that now."

Kevin put his arm around Kris, "See Dean, told you she was an asset."


	6. Chapter 6

**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**

Chapter 6

Holy Terror…To Be

Kris looked up from the new two in one laptop Kevin had bought her, "So listen, I think I've got something." She disconnected the screen and took it over to Sam. "There was a mass murder at some biker joint in Caribou, Wyoming." She waited while Sam read the article.

Dean came over and read over his shoulder, so Kris backed up a little. It still un-nerved her to be that close to Dean. Yes he was a good guy right now, but some scars just wouldn't let her forget.

"Not bad, Kris." Sam was saying to her. "She's right Dean. I mean it's been pretty quiet out there. This could really be something."

"I don't know Sammy, I mean this seems kind of thin. Could just be a rival biker gang. You know, not something up our alley" Kris could tell Dean really didn't want to check this one out.

She reached over Sam and flicked her finger to scroll down to the bottom of the article and read out loud, "'The eyes of some of the victims are rumored to have been burnt out.' I say that ranks up there with 'right up your alley.'"

"She's right Dean. This is right up our alley. Unless there is another reason you don't want to check it out?"

Dean just shrugged, muttered, "I'll go pack," and left.

"Well I hope you two have a good trip," Kris said and rolled her eyes.

Sam and Dean were gone by the time she finished making lunch. Along with helping Kevin with translation, she had been given kitchen duty as well. Given that she loved cooking, she didn't mind so much. And given that most of the tablet translation were beyond her and she knew the books of the library like the back of her hand, looking up literal translations Kevin would give her were providing easier to do.

"Hey Kris?" Kevin called to her from his normal perch in the library. "Was it just me or did Dean really not want to go on this hunt."

She sighed, if this was the hunt she thought it was, then Kevin's death was drawing close. "No, it wasn't just you. If this is the hunt I think it is, the shit is about to hit the fan." She had kept the fact that she knew Sam was being possessed by an Angel to herself. She would tell Kevin when he needed to know, before Gadreel attempted to kill him. The one thing she had been glad about was confiding in Kevin where she really came from. It saved a lot of time on un-necessary explanations.

"Should I be worried?" he asked getting up and moving to closer to her.

She nodded, "It will happen fast, but I'll warn you. Promise." Kris grabbed a thick book with a large angelic sigil on it. "You'll need this when Dean and Sam get back." Handing it to Kevin, she flipped it open to the middle and pointed to six different sigils. "He's going to ask you to come up with a spell that will let you talk to an angel's vessel while blocking the angel from listening. These are the ones you'll show him." Grabbing a blank paper she slide it in the book to make the pages, "You'll also need these," she flipped forward a dozen or so pages.

"Those are pretty specific," Kevin commented but marked the second page as well.

"It gets better, it won't work. But I will have a back up plan in place," she could tell he was about to ask why not just use the back up plan instead. "Remember, I am trying not to change to much. I need certain things to happen, this is one of them. Just remember, it will happen fast."

"I trust you Kris," Kevin told her with a slight smile.

She grinned back, "But you always end up screwed?" He laughed and nodded. "I promise you Kevin, you will not get screwed this time."

Right on cue, two days later Dean and Sam returned. They informed Kevin and Kris that while there were no burnt out eyes, the murders had been committed buy angels. Kris closed her eyes and grimaced on the inside. This was in fact the hunt where the shit hit's the fan. She was right. But she still needed to let a lot of it play out.

"Did you catch that Kris," Sam was asking her.

"Umm… Yea sorry. So listen," she directed them to the laptop. "While you guys were out I looked into the background of that Biker group… and look what I found. Most of those bikers are what are called, Born-Again Bikers." She pulled up a large photo of the group and pointed to the one in the middle, "This is Red Dawg, yes Dean it's his real name."

"How did…" Dean started but Kris ignored him.

"So if you enlarge the patches on the bikers vest, you get this."

Kris enlarged said picture and Dean read the patch out loud, "Boyley's Boys? As in Reverend Buddy Boyle?"

Typing in a few more keys, Kris pulled up Red Dawg's obituary. "Yep and according to Red's widow about a week before he died, he came home from a prayer meeting and was a 'changed man filled with divine glory'. Her words, not mine"

Sam leaned back in his chair, "So Buddy is softening people to be possessed by Angels but he can't control who gets in."

"So what? Are we thinking there are two angel factions fighting for control?"

"Well it would fit with what Cas told up," Dean commented.

"Yea were is Cas?" Kris asked

Dean looked over at Sam before answering, "He decided to go off on his own."

"And we aren't worried?" Kris asked.

"It's the way he wanted it, honestly." Kris and Sam gave him an unconvinced look. "Hey, look, man, he's been all over the map since he got his wings clipped."

Deciding to let it go, Kris brought back their attention to the screen in Sam's hand, "So we now have two warring angel factions and we humans get to be collateral damage."

"Well," Dean was commenting as he walked away, "I've always said angels were dicks."

Later in the day, right after making herself and Kevin something to eat, They ran into Dean coming out of the kitchen. "Hey. Have you two seen Sam?"

"Last time I saw him," Kevin said handing Dean a plate with a sandwich on it, "He was headed out."

"He say where he was going?"

This time they both shook their heads no. "You notice he's doing that a lot lately."

Dean just nodded and looked like he was about to comment on it but his phone rang. Kris took Kevin's arm and lead him back to the library. This room was starting to become The Room.

"So how are those sigils coming?" she asked as she took a seat.

"Well, I've been comparing them to the one on the tablet and there are a few that stick out. I think you are right about that spell you pointed me to." He pointed to the angel tablet, "There are a few spots were it's like Metatron was trying to hide what was written."

"So I guess that Crowley was right, if there was a way to reverse that spell, Metatron made it damn near impossible to figure it out."

Kevin looked over his shoulder where Dean was talking on the phone, then back to Kris, "So in the future, we never figure out how to undo that spell?"

Kris shook her head and lowered her voice, "Metatron has a door to heaven, but right now he is keeping it close tight. Nothing in or out. And I do mean nothing. Everyone who had died since the Fall, their soul is stuck in the Veil. Trapped between this world and the next. We were never able to reverse the spell, but they do manage to get control of the door. That's the best they were able to do."

Kevin shook his head, "So… umm…" He was stumbling to ask her something but couldn't get it out. "Is my mom stuck here?"

Kris looked at him funny, "Your mom? She's not…" Kris clamped her hand over her mouth, "Oh god Kevin. I am so sorry. I completely forgot."

Kevin's color drained out of his face, "My mom's not dead, is she?"

Kris shook her head and Kevin started to gather his things, "No wait." Taking a hold of his arm she pulled him closer to her, "I swear, when this is over, you and I will go and get her."

"So she's alive in your timeline."

Kris nodded, "I meet her once, shortly after meeting Sam and Castiel. I was alive and well. I promise you, we will get her."

Kevin didn't say anything and Kris wanted to kick herself, hard. She had completely forgotten Mrs. Tran was still a prisoner. But she was telling the truth, if this plan of her's worked, she and Kevin would go and free her. Crowley be damned.

"Alright, but the second it's over."

"I need a spell, ASAP," Dean interrupted them, ignoring the way they were huddled together.

Kevin looked at him, trying to get his head back in the game. "You always need a spell and it's always ASAP."

Kris went back to reading the book in front of her.

"All right, listen to me. An angel can't be expelled by another human. Okay, only by the host, right?" This perked up Kris's ears. "But, what if there was a way to power down the angel, so that it wasn't in charge for a few seconds."

Kevin glanced at Kris, "You mean so you can talk to an angel's vessel while blocking the angel from listening?" Those had been her words to him. "I actually think there was something in the tablet about it. Give me a few minutes to go over the Angel tablet and I'll write them down. I take it you need it now?"

"Yesterday Cinderella, yesterday." He patted Kevin on the back and walked back towards the kitchen.

Once Dean was out of ear shot, Kris grabbed the book she had shown Kevin earlier and flipped it to the marked pages. "You were right," he said writing the sigils down. I take it the shit…"

"Is about to really hit the fan." She passed the other book to him, "Remember they have to be perfect."

"I don't get it. If you know this isn't going to work, why go through the motions?"

She gave him a drop dead look and just tapped her watch. "I got it, I got it, we're on a time table here."

Nodding she got up, "I'm going to go check the garage, see if Sam's back yet."

This stopped Kevin, "Is it Sam who's possessed?"

"Lets just say two is a crowed. Now get to work and meet Dean in the storage room." She left before he could ask more questions and headed to the garage. This was really it. The moment Kevin Tran would die, if she screwed it up. 'I won't let it happen. If I have to chose, I'll think of an out for Gadreel, something he would want more then Kevin's life.' The only thing she could think of were the tablets. The tablets or Kevin's life, yea that's a hard choice. She was so lost in thought that she nearly ran head first into Sam.

"Shit, sorry," Kris mumbled. She couldn't look at him right now. If this was the day that Sam killed Kevin then Gadreel was in control of her father. But the silence between them got the better of her and she looked into Sam's eyes.

"Is everything alright Kris?" Sam asked, gently grabbing her arm.

She nodded, "Yea, it's just Kevin and I have been really digging into the translations and I don't think, between the two of us, either has gotten more then three hours sleep. I just think we both need some rest."

Sam let go of her arm and it was then that she noticed the bag of groceries in his arm, "Beer run," she asked nodding to the bag.

"Yea, you know us." He smiled and Kris wanted to smack him in the head. Her father wasn't smiling back at her, it was Gadreel running the show.

"Well, I'm going to go see if I can convince Kevin to take a break." She walked past Sam and the minute she was out the kitchen door the ducked behind a pillar.


	7. Chapter 7

**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**

Chapter 7

Holy Terror…Continues

Kris stayed behind the pillar as Sam walked by carrying the small bag of groceries. She knew that wasn't her father, not really. It was Gadreel pretending to be Sam. She was sure of it. If Gadreel was asserting his control over Sam, then Metatron had already spoken to him. "Damn it," she whispered.

Once he was gone Kris did a quick calculation in her head and headed back to the library. Kevin must have gone to the storage room to place the Sigils. Sam and Castiel had once told her how Kevin had died. Mostly Castiel, because it was to heartbreaking for Sam. Measuring out from the point where Gadreel would try and kill Kevin, Kris added her own Sigils to the walls and pillars to form a pentagram. It would cause any supernatural being to loose their powers. It wouldn't kill Gadreel, but it would make him weak enough she could fight him off. The last sigil would be across from Kevin, and all it would take was her hand print, kind of like the angel banishing spell. She drew all but the last part then covered it with the book Dean had asked her to look into regarding the angel wars.

Kevin walked back in just as she finished. "So how did it go?" she asked, trying to sound casual.

"Well the storeroom is now cover in sigils that I am a hundred percent sure will not do what I hope they should do." He closed the distance between them and started putting the tablets back in his bag.

Kris took a deep breath, "They won't."

Kevin stopped what he was doing and looked at her, "You know what's going on right now, don't you?" She nodded. "Are you going to tell me or just say that it's a need to know, like Dean."

"No, I am going to tell you." A small voice screamed at her not to but she told that voice to shove it. "Sam is about to try and kill you."

"What?"

"It's true. Listen there isn't much time. Dean needed to talk to Sam without that angel inside him hearing." She held up a hand to stop the flow of questions building on his lips. "No time remember." She pushed him to the table at the center of the hidden pentagram. "You stay right here, and when Sam walks in all you say to him is, 'I'm a little worried about Dean.' Do not let him lay his hands on you. You got that?"

"I trust you," was all he said to her, but his eyes were scared. She didn't blame him

She heard what she knew to be Dean's body hitting the storeroom floor, "It's time, remember no touching."

He nodded as she walked as calmly as she could back to the last hidden sigil. She reached it right as Sam came around the corner. 'Show time,' she thought to herself.

"Hey Sam," she heard Kevin say. He sounded so calm.

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Sam come to a stop, then calmly walk past her and towards Kevin. She followed his movements hoping her face betrayed nothing.

"Hey, do you notice anything a little bit off about Dean lately?" If Kris didn't know better she would swear Kevin was cool as a cucumber. "Between you and me, I'm a little bit worried about him."

Sam stopped in front of Kevin, "Don't worry about Dean." Here it comes. Kris moved the book coving the sigil. "Dean will be fine."

"NOW!" she screamed, slicing her hand. Kevin dropped to the floor right as Sam's hands reached for his head.

She slapped it on the table. A flash of purple light and the blow back knocking Kris on her ass. Luckily it did the same to Sam and he was slow to get back up. She still had the knife in her hand and she crawled over to Kevin. He wasn't moving, the blow back seemed to have knocked him out. There was a rather large gash on the side of Kevin heads. Taking a defensive position over Kevin, she glared daggers at the figure of her father. He was on his feet but she held the knife with the blade flat against her forearm, ready to strike if she needed to.

"You are not killing him Gadreel," Kris growled at him.

He ignored her statement, "What did you do to me?" He was using the table with the tablets on it to keep his balance, "What did you do to me!?"

"I heard you the first time," Kris said through clenched teeth. "As long as you stay in this bunker, you have no powers. I suggest you leave. Now!"

"I will not return to Metatron empty handed." He moved towards her. "I will complete my mission."

"You will not touch him or me," she hissed as she took a swing at him. He stepped back, moving sluggishly for an angel, her blade barely missed him but managing to cut into the fabric. "Dean's coming right now. You really think you have the strength to take him and me on?"

Dean came around the corner but slide to a stop. "Sammy?"

Gadreel stood to his full height, "There is no more Sam."

Kris snorted, "You don't stand a chance against the both of us and you know it. You need to leave."

It was Gadreel who laughed a little this time, "Dean won't kill me."

"But I will." She took a step towards him holding the blade in front of her and hoping she could pull off the biggest lie of her life. "I am not emotionally attached to that man you have." Her chest hurt, but she pushed it down. "I will have no problem killing you."

Her mom always said that Kris was a horrible liar. That all people had to do was look in her eyes and they could see she was lying. She was lying through her teeth now and banking on the fact that Gadreel would buy it.

Dean moved towards them, Kris stopped him with a gesture, her eyes never leaving the man in front of her. "I am giving you an out Angel. I suggest you take it," her eyes flicked to the bag with the tablets in it. "Tell him you barely got away. All you've done so far is knock Dean out," she glared over at Dean. "And let's be honest, he kind of deserved it."

Gadreel's eyes followed Kris's to the bag and saw the tablets sitting inside. Kris could see him measuring his chances of fighting the both of them. Gadreel made his decision, grabbed the bag off the table, turned his back and headed up the stairs towards the exit in one movement.

"No," Dean said as he moved towards the stairs.

"Let him go Dean," Kris told him putting the knife on the table and jerking her head towards Kevin, who was still down. "Kevin's hurt, you might want to see to him."

Dean paused for a moment at the foot of the staircase, "I can't just let him take my brother!"

She moved towards him before he could get more then one step up, grabbed his arm and spun him around, "You should have thought of that BEFORE you tricked him into saying yes! Now go help Kevin. Castiel will be here soon."

Kris turned her back on him, knowing she had just made a huge change to the timeline. Kevin was still alive.

She headed into the kitchen, grabbed the first aid kit off the shelf, and was about to head back out to the library when she found she couldn't catch her breath. No matter how deep she tried to breath her body couldn't get enough air into her body. 'A panic attack,' she thought. 'I am having a god damn panic attack.' She set the kit back down and leaned against the counter, trying to catch her breath.

"Are you grabbing the first aid kit or not," Dean's irritated voice came through, slapping her out of her panic attack. Kevin still needed to be looked after and she knew Dean and Cas would have a few questions for her.

"I've got this," she whispered. "I've got this." One more deep breath and her nerves and breathing were back under control. "I'm coming!" she yell back glad her voice didn't quiver.

Kevin was awake now and sitting in a chair at the table that use to hold the tablets. Dean sitting in front of him checking out the gash on his forehead.

"So you let Sam take off with the tablets?" Kevin asked once Kris handed the kit to Dean.

"I had two choices, let him kill you or give him an out. And since I am pretty damn sure none of us wants Sam dead, I gave him an out." She sat on the edge of the table waiting for the on-slough of questions Dean would no doubt have.

But Dean didn't say a word as he cleaned and then stitched up Kevin's head. The silence was speaking louder then anything else.

Finally Kevin's head was dressed, it looks as if he hit it when he dropped to the ground to keep Gadreel's hands off him. Dean packed up the kit then turned those intense hazel eyes on her.

"How did you know those sigils Kevin and I painted wouldn't work?"

"Alter even on sigil, you change the whole spell," Kris told him without looking at him. "I saw that Sam had red chalk on his finger, and I knew the angel had altered the spell."

"Kris," Kevin butted in. "I think you need to tell him the truth."

The tightness in her chest was back, but at least she could breath. "No," she shook her head, "If Dean had just been honest with Sam from the get go, to hell with what Gadreel told him…"

"Gadreel?" a voice behind her asked.

She spun around on the table to see Castiel standing there. "That was quick."

Castiel moved towards her, "You said Gadreel, how do you know that name?"

Kris looked to Kevin who held up his hands, "Leave me out of this."

"Pussy," she muttered. "Fine then," she slipped off the table and made her way to the center of the room. Taking a deep breath she faced all three men. "Gadreel is the angel possessing m…" she fumbled, still not ready to tell them that little detail. "Possessing Sam."

"Who's Gadreel?" Dean asked looking to Castiel. "How bad did I screw up this time?"

"Gadreel was the angel who allowed Lucifer into the garden. He has been imprisoned since the dawn of time." Castiel looked sick to his stomach, if angels could get sick that is. "It's his fault - all of it. The corruption of man, demons, hell. God left because of him. The archangels - the apocalypse. If he hadn't been so weak, none of it would have happened."

"He wasn't weak, Cas," Kris told him, her temper flaring a little. "He was mislead, just like you were. You were responsible for the expulsion of the angels from heaven. That was your fault!"

"I was trying to do the right thing!" he yelled at her.

"So was he." she yelled back, her temper starting to get the best of her.

"How do you know?"

"Because you've told me this story a million of times! And every time you say how Gadreel realized at the last minute that the mission, protecting humans, is what matters most. Not his wants and not his reputation."

Shit, she thought, , again. Dean and Castiel stared at her, while Kevin kept his head down. Staying out of the line of fire.

"You might as well come clean with them Kris," Kevin said in the silence that followed. The other two men waited.

She waited a moment, then threw her hands in the air, "FINE!" she shouted, sliding off the table "The reason I knew your plan," she gestured to Dean, "to tell Sam wouldn't work, and that Gadreel was going to kill Kevin is because it happened in my timeline."

Realization dawned on Castiel's face but Dean looked like he was still in the dark. "Who sent you here," Castiel asked.

"Funny you should ask, because it was you. Right after da… I mean… Right after Sam died."

This seemed to snap Dean out of his haze. "What do you mean Sam died? How, who, when?"

"Alright. He is killed here in the bunker in roughly thirty years," she took a deep breath. "By you, Dean. You kill him and Cas."


	8. Chapter 8

**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**

Chapter 8

A New Timeline is Born

The silence in the bunker was deafening. Kevin sat with his bandaged head refusing to look at anyone, Castiel and Dean couldn't take their eyes off the girl in front of them. No one said a word, Kris just letting what she said sink in. She waited for the questions, denials, and anger to burst out of them. She had just told Dean he not only kills his best friend but his little brother as well.

There was more to the story but Kris opted to keep this as simple as possible, "Before you killed Castiel he managed to send me back. So now you know." Kris was getting edgy with no one talking, so she broke the silence. "You sent me back to stop it. And I don't care if you believe me, or not, I will keep him from killing you both."

"I sent you back here?" Castiel asked in disbelief. "Why you? Why not Sam or me?"

This made Kris grin, it had been the same thing Kevin had asked her. Then she bit her lip, "You couldn't come because he," she gestured towards Dean, "could track you. Sam…" It was her turn to fidget, "He wouldn't had survived the trip, he was pretty weak by then."

"Stop talking like that." Dean mumbled.

Kris glared at him, "Like what? Like you killed your brother? Your best friend? You did. I heard you rip Cas apart right before he sent me here."

"But I haven't done it," Dean said through his teeth, "and I won't do it."

"Dean," Kevin butted in, "you need to hear her out. She was right about Sam trying to kill me."

"That Wasn't Sam!" both Kris and Dean said. Kris yelling it, Dean a little more calmly. She immediately looked ashamed, "Sorry Kevin, I shouldn't had yelled."

"Given that you did keep me from dying," Kevin said getting up and giving her a hug, "I'll forgive ya." She hugged him back thinking to herself, 'I hope this timeline me gets to meet him.'

"Which brings us back," Castiel said, "to our current problem. Finding Gadreel in Sam's body and getting him out without killing Sam."

"Wait a minute," Dean said getting to his feet and pointing to Kris, "Just have her to tell us how we did it before."

"What?" Kris asked a little confused.

"Well come on Future Girl," Dean asked coming closer to her. "How did we get feather boy out of Sam?"

"What? How the hell would I know?" Kris unconsciously shrunk into Kevin, away from Dean. "It's not like Sam gave me a detailed blue print of your lives before I came into it."

Dean paused but it was Castiel who spoke, "I think I have an idea on how to get the angel…"

"Gadreel," Kris interrupted under her breath.

"…out of Sam. Sam is strong. If he knew he was being possessed, he could cast the angel…"

"Gadreel," Kris repeated a little louder.

"…out of him."

"So how do we bypass the angel…" Kevin started but Kris interrupted him.

"The angel's name is Gadreel, would you please stop referring to him as 'the angel'. He isn't a bad guy, just misled."

"You know what," Dean started saying, "When an angel tricks you into getting your brother possessed and then tries to kill one of your friends, you can talk about what to call him."

Kris glared at him, "You really don't want to go down that road with me Dean. I know what you become." She moved away from Kevin and stood close to Dean, "So don't you dare stand there and act all high and mighty, not with me."

Dean back away from her, as if she could really hurt him, she thought. Castiel stood between the two of them, "I suggest we focus on the ang…" Kris glared at him. "Fine, Gadreel. I have an idea how to reach Sam."

A few moments later Castiel and Dean stood in front of the demon in the basement. "Hello Darlings," he said in way of greetings. Kris fought to hold her ground and not rush in there to beat the shit out of him. She and Kevin stayed back letting Dean and Castiel talk to the little worm.

"So," Kevin said from the safety behind the bookcase. "About what you said back there to Dean." Kris froze not wanting to think about it. She had said those words out of anger and frustration, but it didn't make the words any less true. She was starting to realize she was letting a lot slip out when she was mad, upset or pissed off.

"Let's just say I know what he is capable of better then anyone and leave it at that."

"But that isn't this Dean."

"I know that, but sometimes, when I look at him," her eyes went back to the bookcase, "I can see the monster looking back." She looked back at Kevin, "You know what Sam said to me right before I left? That Dean hadn't done any of this yet, that there was still time to save him. Even though he was about to die by his brothers hands, he was still trying to save him."

"Yea that sounds like the Winchester way."

Speaking of said Winchester. Dean, Castiel and Crowley, the latter shuffling in chains, walked out of the dungeon. "Looks like the three of us are heading on a road trip," Dean said looking only at Kevin. "You two however are staying put."

Kris got up, "Actually if you don't need us, Kevin and I have a little errand to run." She looked right at Crowley, "We are going to go get Mrs. Tran."

The look in Crowley's eyes seemed to be holding something back. "Oh that's right, good luck with that," was all he said.

"Shove it up your ass, Crowley," Kris told him taking Kevin's arm. "Let's go Kevin."

Dean was about to say something, thought better about it and closed his mouth. "Alright," was all he said. "Cas, let's go get that car of yours." He headed off leaving the rest of them standing there.

"You heard Squirrel," Crowley said. "Let's go."

It took all the strength Kris had not to deck him right then and there.

Once the three of them left Kevin looked at her, "So where's my mom.

"A storage unit in Wichita."

The getting ready had taken a little longer then Kris thought. The lime green car from the garage had needed a little love, but Kris was able to get it up and running in no time. Then there was the debate on what they would need. Kevin wanted to take the whole arsenal. Kris was able to convince him of two guns, the demon killing blade and a few rounds of the bullets with the devils' trap carved into them.

They pulled into a crappy looking storage rental place, the name on the sign so faded you could barely make out Castle Storage on the sign.

"He's keeping my mom here?" Kevin asked getting out of the car. Looking around Kris could guess what he was thinking, not the place for a Prophets Mom.

"In one of the storage units, her and two other people." She came around to him, handing him one the two guns, keeping the blade for herself, she was the better knife thrower. "After you died, you met another ghost, she was with your mom here. But this was a while after you died, so I am sure she is still alive…" she stopped talking when Kevin gave her an odd look. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing, it's just odd to hear about things that won't happen talked about like they did. It's just… I don't know creepy."

Kris smiled and shook her head, "Let's get this started." She closed the door and headed into the office.


	9. Chapter 9

**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**

Chapter 9

Tiger By The Tail

The plan was to go in and act as if they were there on Crowley's business. It was just as gross on the inside as it was on the out side. She walked up to the counter and a 5'5", pasty white, black-rimmed hipster with glasses popped out from behind the counter. "Can I help you?" he asked looking from Kris to Kevin. His name tag read Del.

"Yes, we are here to empty out Mr. Webster's three storage units, on his orders," she told him smiling slightly, trying to look like a bad ass.

"Umm… I'm sorry Mr. Webster?"

Kris cocked her head to the side, "Yes, Mr. Daniel Webster. He has three storage units with special cargo in them." She pulled out her phone and flipped it open. "If you like I am sure Mr. Crowley… Oh I am sorry, I mean Webster, can verify this for you."

Del lost what little color there was in his face, his eyes flash black for just a moment. "No, no that won't be necessary."

Kris smiled as sweetly as she could, "Excellent, if you would be so kind as to direct us to the correct location of his storage containers," she gestured towards Kevin, "he and I will go empty them, thank you."

"Yes… yes of course." He pointed to the left. "It's down corridor Q, off to the left."

They walked out of that office and headed towards corridor Q. Kevin started to walk just a little too fast and Kris grabbed his arm. "Easy there Tiger. Remember were suppose to be here on Crowley's business. Take it easy."

"Sorry, but it's my mom," Kevin said trying to get Kris to walk faster.

They came to the first of the three storage units. "Door number one, two, or three?" Kevin asked.

Kris glanced down the empty hallway. "Door number one," Kris said as she went to the lock, "Lets see if I can beat my time." Regrettably she wasn't able to beat her time. In fact it took Kris nearly a whole minute to pick the lock. There was a slight click and Kevin was quick to slide the door up.

Kris stepped behind Kevin, but the figure on the floor was not his mother. "Hey?" Kris asked stepping around Kevin and to the woman on the floor, who cringed away from them. "It's alright. We're here to take you out of here." Going to work on the shackles holding her to the floor, "Do you have a name?"

She looked from Kevin to Kris, "Candy," she whispered.

This made Kris look up, "Really?"

Candy looked down, "My parents liked sweets."

Shaking it off, she had been more shocked that she had been right about Candy still being alive, Kris finished with the shackles. "Alright we still have to get the other two."

"One," Candy said rubbing her wrists. "There's only one other person here, they… 'released' the man four days ago."

"They killed him?" Kevin asked in horror.

Candy nodded, "I over heard the man say he wasn't worth keeping anymore."

Kris gave Kevin a knowing look, "Lets get your mother and get the hell out."

Kevin helped Candy to her feet and followed Kris to the last storage unit. The idea that his mother had been held here for the past ten months was killing him. He was so sure Crowley was telling him the truth about his mother, that he had really killed her. He was kicking himself now for taking him at his word but somewhere deep down he felt his mom was still alive. But after what Kris had said, about people being stuck in the veil, for a millisecond he had thought that was why he felt her.

"Kevin!" Kris's voice brought him back to reality and he noticed the girl beside him was slinking to the ground, while Kris was working on the lock.

"Oh shit," Kevin mumbled, reaching for Candy.

"Kevin you stay with her, I'll get your mom and we'll leave." The lock clicked and Kris pushed it up.

Linda Tran was laying on the cold, dirty floor. She shrunk away and Kris felt horrible for the woman. She went to her and started working on the cuffs. "Mrs. Tran it's alright. My name is Kris and we're here to get you out of here."

It took the woman about three seconds to register the 'we' part of that sentence. "Is Kevin with you?" she asked a little horrified.

Kris pointed out into the hall and that's when she saw the door come down with a loud slam. "NO!" Kris yelled getting to her feet and rushing to the door. "KEVIN!" She banged her hands on the door and then tried to lift the thing up.

"Don't bother, young lady." a voice said from the other side. "It's won't budge."

"DEL!" Kris screamed. "I swear to God, if you hurt him!" She slammed her hands on the door.

"Well my orders are to keep our little prophet here until Crowley gets back." There was a slight tap on the door, "I'll let you know what he decides about the old lady and you." His foot steps started to fade away.

"DAMN IT!"

She started banging on the door and shouting profanities when a gentle hand touched her shoulder, she turned to see Linda Tran standing there. She had forgotten about her.

"If you are done being counter productive," she pointed to the electric box beside her. "There's an electrical line, it leads to the control panel."

Kris ripped it open, realized she couldn't see a thing and pulled out a pen light. "I hope you know about this kind of stuff, cause I am at a loss."

Linda smiled and moved Kris to the side. "You have a knife of some kind?" Kris passed her the pocket knife. "We have to unplug the ground wire first. If this is standard U.S. color coding, it should be the green one." Kris smiled, she really like Linda. "Helping Kevin with his engineering club assignments, I've picked up a few things."

Kris held the pen light. While Mrs. Tran worked on the wires.

"I know he must have insisted," Linda stated, but stayed focused on the task at hand, "but why were you foolish enough to bring Kevin along with you?"

"He would have come no matter what I said to him," Kris told her. "You're his mother. Besides this was a two person job and the boys were busy."

"I take it you mean Dean and Sam. Got it!"

There was a small explosion of sparks and Kris was able to lift the door manually. "Now take me to my son," Linda said handing back the pocket knife.

"Yes Ma'me," Kris told her grinning. She really, really, really liked Linda Tran.

If Kris has said it once, she has said it plenty of times. There is no luck like Winchester luck. Kris and Linda hugged the walls of the storage unit hall, making their way back to the office.

"This is why you shouldn't have brought Kevin," Linda hissed as they passed the last hall. "Now Crowley is going to get him."

Kris shook her head, "That's not possible. Crowley is with Dean and Castiel, looking for Sam. There is no way Del should have been able to get a hold of him. He's lying."

Linda grabbed Kris's arm to stop her, "Why is that monster helping Dean, what happened to Sam?"

Kris grinned, "Let's go get your boy and I'll let him explain everything. The office is right there."

Unfortunately the office was empty when the got there, causing Linda to panic. "No, no, no. Where the hell are they? Oh God, he took Kevin to Crowley!"

"Breath, Linda. Breath." It was Kris's turn to calm her down. "Del said Crowley was coming here. If that's true then they have to be somewhere here"

Kris figured Del was lying about talking to Crowley. He was with Dean and there was no way Dean would let Crowley make a phone call. Besides there would be no reason for Crowley to take Kevin, given that the tablets were taken by Gadreel. But then again Crowley was a self-serving ass, Kris wouldn't put it pass him to take Kevin just to spite the boys.

" _This is going to break little Sammy's heart." A sharp pain in her lower calf, followed by her muffled scream._

Kris shook her head. _Not now,_ she thought. She pushed that memory down hard. Kris noticed the TV monitor and was quick to spot Kevin and Candy. "There!" she yelled and pointed to the monitors behind Linda. "Del is holding them there."

Linda let out a small gasp of relief, "But where is that? This place is huge, they could be anywhere."

"There on the bottom of the monitor. 'Corridor A, Gunderson'. That is," Kris swung around to the map on the far wall. "Here," she pointed. "So Mrs. Tran, how good are you with a gun?" Kris asked pulling out hers. Linda took it and pulled the slider back to cock it.

"It isn't my first time," Linda said. "Now lets go get my boy."

Kris smiled, "I really like you. Here's the plan."

Kevin sat in the far corner of the unit and tried to adjust his wrists, but the ropes were cutting into them. The guy Del and Candy were standing by the open storage door.

"I did good right?" Candy was shifting from side to side. "I separated them from each other for you. That was good, right?"

"Yes," Del told her taking her head in his hands. "You did very good." Del looked Candy right in the eyes, "But unfortunately you are of no use any more." With that he twisted her head all the way around.

"No," Kevin yelled but it was too late. Candy hit the floor with a thud.

"Now, you," Del said turning towards Kevin. "You are like the holy grail right now. You are what's going to secure my place beside the King." Del hunched down, "Oh I was so worried when Crowley wasn't answering my calls and then BOOM," he clapped his hands together making Kevin jump. "The King calls and lets me know you are on your way. Mentioned your little girlfriend as well, said she was free game."

Kevin willed up as much anger as he could, "You're not going to hurt her. She's going to kill you."

"Oh how sweet," he patted Kevin on the head like a puppy. He got to his feet, "But there isn't much the little bitch can do."

A knife came through the open door and buried itself in Del's shoulder. "Damn," Kris said coming into the unit and holding the demon blade. "I was aiming for it's head. You were saying."

Del pulled the knife out of his shoulder and looked at Kris, eyes pitch black. "You are going to die."

"Bring it ass." Kris smirked.

Del charged her with a roar, the knife he pulled out of his shoulder leading the way. Using the knife to protect her forearm, Kris was able to block the blow with her right arm. Going with his momentum, Kris pulled Del past her and, slashing upwards, was able to hit his back as he passed. The spin caused Del to stand half in and half out of the unit.

"You are going to pay, for that you bit…" his complaint was cut short by a gun shot which pitched him forward and into Kris. She wasn't expecting the movement and was to slow to block the blow to her left arm. Pain caused her to cry out, but was able to bite it back and shove Del into Linda, who had fired the gun.

"You shouldn't have messed with my son," she told him as she emptied the rest of the clip into his back.

Del fell to the ground and Linda stepped over him, "Hello Son."

Kevin gave a genuine smile, "Hey Mom."

"Just one moment," Linda looked at Kris and held her hand out. Kris knew she wanted the knife and figured if anyone deserved to kill Del, it was her. She handed it over and went to Kevin, to undo his hands.

Del knew what was coming, and with a whole clip of Devils Trap bullets in him, he was helpless, "Hey Lady." He tried to pled. "I was just following ord…" He didn't get much further then that with the blade shoved into his chest, she twisted it for good measure.

Mrs. Tran got back to her feet, as Kris helped Kevin to his. "Well now," she said as she cleaned off the blade. "Lets get the hell out of here."


	10. Chapter 10

_**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**_

Chapter 10

Filler Space

Linda was able to clean and wrap up Kris's forearm, but it was still burning, as Kris drove the three of them back to the bunker, she couldn't help but glance in the review mirror. Linda was asleep against her sons shoulder but her hand was tightly clasped in his. Kevin couldn't seem to take his eyes off his mom. "It's like she's back from the dead," he whispered to Kris as she drove.

She looked at him in the mirror, "I know how you feel." She had that same thought when Kevin had called to her from the War Room, to be reintroduced to Sam and Dean. Seeing her father standing there, healthy, it had taken all herself control not the throw herself in his arms. It was like him had been brought back from the dead.

"We're almost there," Kris told him. "You might want to wake your mom up." She pulled up to the hidden door for the bunkers garage, got out and hit the panel to open the tunnel. She got back in the car and noticed Linda was starting to wake at her son's gentle prodding. Kris smiled to herself as she drove them back into the bunker. Linda Tran was safe, and her son was alive. Who knew what changes to the timeline this would cause, but surely it couldn't be that bad.

The lights in the bunker were off, so Kris flipped them on. Everything looked the same. Kevin's stuff was still spread out on the table, and there was no sound other then the three of them. She took a deep breath and just enjoyed the sense of coming home. "Who's hungry?" Kris asked heading towards the kitchen.

After a quick meal of spaghetti and meat sauce, and while Kevin showed his mom a place to sleep, Kris started picking up Kevin's stuff off the table. ' _More changes to the timeline_ ,' she thought. ' _If I hadn't been here to stop Kevin from dying, would Dean already be off looking for Gadreel, or would he still be morning Kevin? I know Linda would still be a prisoner, but was Candy suppose to die that soon? She died in my timeline as well, so was she dead no matter what I did? And if that is the case what about Kevin? Will the fates still try and take his life or was he not suppose to die and my coming here just made it possible for Fate to keep it on track_?' Kris's head was beginning to hurt as bad as her arm.

"Hey," a voice said, way to close to Kris's ear.

Kris spun around, reaching for the knife at her back. She had been thinking so hard, she hadn't heard Sam enter the bunker. Luckily Sam was quicker and stopped her hand from grabbing it altogether. "Easy there Kris. It's just me." He gave her a small smile.

Catching her breath she looked into her father's eyes. There it was, the spark. Sam was completely back, there was no Gadreel vibe to him. She quickly threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. She didn't care if he thought "Kevin's friend" was a few fries short of a happy meal, this was her dad.

Sam gently patted her on the back, "Umm… alright, awkward." Kris still didn't let go. "So… Umm… Can you stop now."

Finally Kris let go, "Sorry. Its' just… Well it's nice to have you back."

Kevin and Linda walk into the room and Kris could see Sam's face tense up a little. "Kevin…" Sam paused for a moment. "I'm… I don't know what to say. I am so sorry…" Sam moved around Kris and headed towards Kevin and his mom.

Kevin waved him off, "Relax Sam. I know it wasn't you. Besides, thanks to Kris I'm still breathing."

Sam smiled and looked back at Kris, "Yea, I see you found your mom too. Good thing she came when you called."

Kevin and Kris froze. Kris's eyes going wide, "Oh shit," she mumbled. "That's right. You weren't here for that conversation." Kris looked at Kevin who refused to meet her eyes, "Oh Hell No! You are not chickening out this time."

Looking sheepish, Kevin took a seat at the table and motioned for his mom to do the same. ' _That's right,_ ' Kris thought. ' _She has no idea about me._ "

Sam was looking back and forth between Kris and Kevin. "What am I missing?"

Kris sat on the edge of the table. "I'm not a friend of Kevin's from school." She gestured to the chair across from her. Sam moved to it but didn't take it. "He never called me, I kind of just showed up at the… well more like in, the bunker."

This time Sam did take a seat but his face was stone cold. "And?"

"You see, I knew Gadreel was going to try and kill Kevin…"

"What!?" Linda shouted, looking from Kevin to Kris. "Who is he and where is he?" Kris smiled she knew that tone. It was the same one she used when she and Linda were going to rescue Kevin. It meant someone was going to hurt.

"No, Linda. It's alright, Gadreel is gone."

"It's not alright," Sam said. His voice had gone cold. "I nearly killed Kevin."

"That wasn't you." Both Kris and Kevin said at the same time.

"Why didn't you warn D…Dean?" He sort of stuttered his brothers name.

"He wouldn't have believed me." Kris said gently. "I had no proof and he wouldn't even admit you were being occupied at the moment. It wasn't like I could tell you," she gestured to Sam. "And I told Kevin when he needed to know."

"When… When he needed to know," Sam stammered as he got up. "I nearly killed him."

"But you didn't," Kris said, trying to understand why her dad was getting so upset. "He's fine."

"That's not the point," Sam said. "You and Dean nearly got him killed. You two are exactly a like."

Kris huffed, "Yea funny you should say that." Kris got off the table. "You said those same words to me right before you and Castiel sent me here."

This seemed to stop what ever steam Sam had been building up to. He stood there frozen for the longest time, no one else saying a word.

"She's right Sam," came Castiel's voice from the stairwell. "She told Dean and me right after Gadreel's attack."

"You knew," Sam asked turning to the angel.

Castiel descended the stairs, "Not until after the attack. She told Dean and myself a few things, one of which was that she was from the future."

Sam turned to Kevin now, "You knew this whole time. You lied to us about where she came from. Why? She could have been a demon or hell, anything else."

Kevin pulled the bunker key from his pants pocket, "She had this Sam. You told me it's the only way to get in this place. And, well I am not apologizing. She saved my life Sam. She stopped you from doing something you would have spent the rest of your life blamed yourself for." He motioned towards Kris, who hadn't left the table, "Kris is who she says she is."

Sam shook his head, "I'm sorry. I just found out my brother lied to me, tricked me into allowing a psychotic angel to posses me,"

"Gadreel is not psychotic," Kris whispered, more to herself.

"You know when your brother tricks you into staying alive, then you can have a say in what title to give the angel."

Kris shook her head, "That's bullshit Sam, and you know it."

"Excuse me," Sam asked, looking a little taken aback.

She looked up at Sam, forgetting this was her father for just a moment, he was acting like a whinny little bitch with a skinned knee. "Yes Dean may have tricked you but you still didn't have to say yes."

"I Was Ready Too Die," Sam clipped out. Kris could see his anger rising to the surface.

"No," Kris said getting off the table and moving to stand in front of Sam, "you weren't. If you truly were ready, it wouldn't have mattered what Dean…"

"That was NOT my brother!" Sam shouted.

"It didn't matter!" Kris shouted back. "What you thought was Dean, found a way for you to live and you fucking took it! So you can stand there and boo-hoo all you want, but in the end," she jabbed her finger at him, "you chose to live. Not Dean, not Gadreel. YOU!"

She waited for him to say something else. "He...Lied to me."

Kris took a breath, she was not going to feel bad for what Dean did. If he hadn't she never would have meet her real father, "But that is how I know you weren't ready. If you really, really wanted the die, then nothing he said would have changed your mind. You wanted a way out because you weren't ready, and lets be honest Sam, other then Gadreel acting like a dick with wings, this did work out."

Sam grimaced, "Did it? If you hadn't of been here, Kevin would have died, right?" Kris didn't pause, she just nodded. "And it would have been by my hand?"

Kris threw up her hands, "But he isn't dead, and you didn't kill him. "

"You still don't get it," Sam said turning his back on her. That simple motion actually hurt. "I had made my choice and Dean acted without thinking. You can stand there and defend what he did all you want, but the end result is this. He lied, you may have fixed his mistake by coming back here and saving Kevin, but I still would have killed him. You can't deny that."

Sam went to Kevin, "Look with the tablets gone, maybe you and your mom should get out of this life. It nearly killed you and your mom has been a prisoner for nearly a year. Maybe you two should start over, have a normal life."

It was actually Linda who spoke up, "I would love to be able to go back to a normal life. But Sam, that is just not possible. Once you have been touched by this life, wither by the fates, like you and yours, or my destiny, like my boy here. It stays with you. You will either live this life or you will die in it." She put her hand on Kevin's shoulder, "I nearly lost my son, and I am grateful I don't have to face that life, but I will not let my son, give up on his duties. Do I wish he didn't have to, absolutely. But I know now that this is his life and I am one proud momma." She looked up at Kevin and Kris could see tears brimming in Mrs. Trans eyes.

Kevin smiled at her. "Well I was raised not to contradict my mother, so looks like you and Dean are stuck with us."

Sam didn't say anything, but Kris noticed for the first time, "Umm… Sam? Where is Dean?"

Sam ignored her and actually walked out of the room, heading back to his. "Sam!? Where is he?"

Castiel came up to stand beside Kris, "Dean said he was going to hunt Gadreel himself. He seems to think it will make things better with Sam."

Kris wanted to hit him, Sam not Castiel. They were separated again and that never ends badly, "Are you kidding me. Have those two learned nothing of their lives. When they separate it makes things worse." She started to follow Sam out but Castiel stopped her, "No Cas you don't get it. It never ends well when those two go their separate ways, never."

"Sam's made up his mind and so has Dean," he told her.

The room was quiet for a moment as Kris came up with a plan, "Alright, here is what we are going to do. Kevin, you, your mom, and Cas stay with Sam, try and keep him out of trouble. I'm going to go find Dean and see if I can talk some sense into him."

Kevin snickered and was rewarded with a smack to the back of the head by his mother, "Sorry, I mean good luck."


	11. Chapter 11

_**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**_

 **Chapter 11**

Tricks, No Treats

Kris sat alone in a dingy hotel room, trying to think of where her uncle may have gone to. She hadn't been lying to Dean when she told him she had no details of the Winchester's lives before she had entered it. In fact when she met Sam for the first time, he hadn't mentioned he had a brother. A fact that come back to bite her in the ass later on. Kris pushed those memories away, no way on God's green earth she would ever go there willingly.

' _Alright_ ,' she thought to herself, _'if I am a sibling, hell bent on revenge, what do I do first_?' Unfortunately being an only child gave no insight to how Dean might act right now. _'So think like a child_.' If someone had hurt her father, what would she do? Well that was easy, go back in time and stop it from happening.

 _'Not helping_ ,' the voice chided her. Alright, think. The logical thing would be to hunt the thing down. So how would Dean hunt an angel? He wouldn't, he couldn't. But Kris could. Gadreel had once answered a prayer from Dean, maybe if she let him know she just wanted to talk, he would answer hers.

Looking around the room she said out loud, "Gadreel. Gadreel I know you can here me. It's me, Kris. I am the one who kept you from killing Kevin and then let you go." She stopped not sure if she should wait for a response, it felt silly having a one way conversation. "Look I am by myself, no Sam or Dean. I just want to talk to you. I swear there is nothing else. I think you and I should really have a conversation, it involves Metatron. I know you think you are doing the right thing." Again that foolish feeling of talking to a wall was still there. "I know I am probable the last person you want to hear this from, but this is important." Nothing still. "Gadreel, I know that you think what you are doing is for the greater good. That you believe you will redeem your tarnished reputation. But Gadreel, your wrong. Please I just want to talk."

Kris waited, and waited, and waited. Once in a while she would repeat her plee to the angel to met and talk with her. After two hours of waiting Kris stopped. This wasn't working, maybe she should just start hitting every bar between the bunker and here. Who knew, maybe she would get lucky and happen to run into Dean.

She gathered up her bag and headed to the door, she had been so sure Gadreel would talk with her. Castiel had always said he was an honorable angel, even if he was a little misguided. She sighed as she opened the door and nearly ran head first into the man standing in the doorway.

"OH shit!" She scrambled back, "Gadreel?" She got a good look at him.

The man nodded. He was blue eye's were level with her, his messy blonde hair feel into his eyes. "I believe you called me."

Kris shook her head, "Yes, I did." She stepped aside and gestured him into the room, "Sorry, I had given up on you answering me, please come in."

She saw him smile as he stepped into the room.

 **l-l-l-l**

Finding the room had been easy. Metatron had intercepted the call from the girl to Gadreel. He had sent Ilium in his place to bring her back to 'talk'. "What is it you wish to talk to me about?"

The girl looked nervous, "Umm.. Yes right. I thought you should know, Dean is looking for you, well more like hunting you."

Ilium heard the door close and turned to face her, "And you wanted to warm me?" He was a little shocked. Gadreel had said the girl was smart and appeared loyal to the Winchesters. He couldn't figure why she was warning him.

The girl took a deep breath and pushed back her brown hair, it seemed a silly human thing to do. When her eyes found his, they seemed confused for a moment, as if they weren't sure what they were looking at. "I… Umm… I wanted to talk to you is all."

"You said that," Ilium took a step closer to her. "Are you changing loyalties now?"

"No!" came the quick, curt reply, "Of course not."

"Are you suggesting that I be the one to change my loyalties?"

Again the girl brushed hair that was not there out of her face, "I am saying you should reclaim your original loyalty."

Ilium turned his head to the side, this girl was actually intriguing him. The only original loyalty he could think Gadreel had was to the Winchesters. "And what loyalty would that be?"

 **l-l-l-l**

There was something off about Gadreel, Kris thought. True she had never met the angel in any other vessel but her father, but there was something wrong with him right now. When she had faced him down in the Bunker she had known it wasn't Sam, in fact it had been easy to face him down only because she knew it wasn't her father talking to her. There had been a different air about him. Old, and timeless. Granted, she was sure, all angels probable had that quality. But just like she could tell Castiel's vibe no matter the vessel, there was something off about Gadreel's vibe right now.

"The one to heaven, the one you were made for," she stated.

Gadreel nodded as if confirming something she didn't understand. Something inside Kris screamed at her to get out of there. But Castiel's words, to her, stayed her. _'His only mistake was trusting Metatron. He was a good and honorable angel.'_ "You have to know that Metatron is using you. The same way he used Cas."

Gadreel was walking around the room and it gave Kris the impression of being circled by a predator. "Castiel," he said with contempt, "was never loyal to the cause."

That did it, everything in her body was on full alert now. Kris moved as far from him as she could, "You're not Gadreel, are you?" Her back was pressed to the door.

The angel smiled, "I didn't think you would figure it out. Metatron thought you might but insisted I come any way." He stepped towards her, ending his circling, "If you ask me, I don't think Metatron completely trusts Gadreel. I mean who would? He let the serpent into the garden, brought about the downfall of men, and let's just face it," his face lost the smile. "He's just one bad running joke."

Kris started to slide the angel blade out of her right arm sleeve and into her hand, but the angel was a hell of a lot quicker. He had her right arm pinned and his left forearm against her throat before the blade was even in place. With her dominate hand pinned and her air supply running short, Kris realized she was trapped.

Twisting her head to the side and trying to use her shoulders to push him back Kris tried to get some kind of leverage, but the angel just pushed harder on her throat.

"Now, now, little mud monkey. I have orders to take you alive. But Metatron never said you had to be conscious." Black spots where jumping into her view, but she fought them. This seemed to make the angel laugh. His laughter infuriated her. Taking her left hand she pulled it as far back as the wall would let her. For a moment the angel seemed to think she was going to hit his face, and he grinned, but Kris had a better option. She shoved it into the crook of his elbow, effectively breaking the pressure he had on her neck.

Gulping in as much air as she could, Kris dropped her chin and rolled to the right, directly into the angels arms. Using the wall she placed her palms flat against it and pushed as hard as she could. The unexpected move caused the angel to stumble back and Kris threw her head back catching him in the nose. The crunch of bone was very satisfying to her, but she didn't let it go to her head. She was still in danger. With his vessel's nose bleeding, the angel dropped his hold on her arm. Kris lunged to the door and pulled it open.

Stars jumped into her sight before she made it completely out the door and it took Kris a moment to realize she had been hit in the side of the head. But not by the angel behind her. She stumbled back into the room and right into the Blonde Angels arms. He gripped her tight while she was still reeling from the blow. A man with dark brown hair walked into the room.

"You were taking to long Ilium," he said stepping up to Kris. "Metatron sent me to see what was taking so long."

Kris shook her head to try and clear it but this actually made it hurt more, "I have it under control, Neil."

"Yes I can see that," he gestured to Kris. "Is that why she almost got away." Kris struggled in Ilium's arms and Neil hit her in the stomach. Whatever air was left in Kris's lungs quickly exited her body and she couldn't catch her breath.

With her vision fading and her lungs calling for more oxygen, Kris knew there was no fight left in her. She hated to give into the blackness, however her body wasn't giving her a choice.

 **l-l-l-l**

Something was digging into her wrists. The pain it caused was what brought Kris to the surface of consciousness. Her head rolled to the left, opening her eyes, her sights fell on her arm. A thick rope held her left arm to a plush armrest. A quick glance to her right let her know her other arm was in the same predicament. There was no give to the ropes and they seemed to tighten when she tried to wiggle them.

"It's a really neat knot I learned years ago from a book I read," a voice commented, drawing her attention to the middle of the room. A middle age man was sitting at a typewriter, wearing a smoking jacket. His messy black hair was thinning and the messiness of it reminded her of Booger from Revenge of the Nerds. A much older Booger, but the way his eyes seemed to be wild and unfocused spoke of a very unhinged angel.

"Let me guess," Kris said, her voice scratchy but strong. "Metatron."

His grin revealed his rotten teeth, but there seemed to be sincerity in it. She had seen a smile very similar to that before and her stomach dropped. "You know me, but you my dear," he got up from behind the old looking desk, stacked with paper and old books. "You are a mystery. Gadreel said you were able to block his powers and I have to say I am impressed. Not many humans know how to create a new spell and those that do are very powerful witches."

Kris smirked, "What can I say. I keep very interesting company."

Metatron leaned back against his desk, giving Kris an impression he was trying to look the part of a very stern parent. The only thing Kris saw was a spoiled child, who thought he had been wronged. "I am very interested in that company."

"Well," Kris said trying to lean forward, "get use to disappointments."

The creepy grin again, "Oh I have a few ideas in my head," he tapped his temple, "to get you to talk to me."

This actually made Kris laugh, "Oh please. There isn't a single original idea in that your head of yours. Every idea you think of, I will guarantee, someone has already done it."

"Ah," he said sliding off the desk like the worm he was, "but have they done it to you. I think it will be fun to break open that primitive little brain of yours."

H _ands, cold as death, brushing back her hair as a sharp voice said, "This is going to be fun."_

"I can promise you this Metatron," Kris said gravely, pulling herself back to the present, "I've looked true evil and destruction in the face and survived. You," she snickered, "you are just a spoiled little bully, with daddy issues."

He was in her face now his hands came down painfully on her wrists, apparently that 'daddy issue' hit a nerve, "You have no idea the things I am going to do to you. Before I finish, you will be begging me to kill you."

Kris squared her shoulders, ignoring the pain in her wrists, looked Metatron dead in the face. "No," she said, "I won't."

It was Metatron's turn to snicker, "Challenge accepted."


	12. Chapter 12

_ADVISERY: SLIGHT TOURTURE IMPLIED BUT NOTHING GRAPHIC._

 _ **Time Can't Heal All Wounds**_

 **Chapter 12**

 _Re-Write_

Metatron slammed his hand down on to the typewriter. Four days! For four days the girl had been 'spoken' to. Between the persuasion he had been allowing Ilium to take with her and the constant sarcasm from the girl, they had nothing. Oh they knew the basics, her name and… well that was pretty much all they had, and that information had come from Gadreel. Poor, poor Gadreel. He had no idea what they were doing to the girl and if Metatron could help it he never would. He was still to fresh from lock up to understand that this was how war was done. Sacrifice the one for the good of the many. But truth be told, after his botched mission to kill Kevin Tran, Metatron just didn't think he had it in him to do what needed to be done.

But that damn girl, he thought. He hadn't been lying when he had told her she was a mystery. That spell she had used was to block Gadreel's powers was not one he was familiar with and considering he had written the book on humans, that had him worried. If she had found a way to block angels powers, who knew what else she was capable of. Add to the fact he had no idea where she had come from. It was like she just popped out of think air and this had him worried too.

"Is everything alright," Neil asked from his post outside the door. He had given instructions not to be disturbed while he was writing, but the girl made it damn near impossible for him to concentrate.

"It's nothing," he said to him. "Just writers block." But it was more then that, there were too many questions, and he needed answers. He got up from the desk and headed out his office door. "Stay here, no one in," he called to Neil as he passed him. He wasn't sure what he expected to get from the girl right now, but he was going to get something. Every question Ilium has asked her has been answered the same for four days, 'I've had worse.'

Getting the girl into heaven had been easier then Metatron thought, every angel that had seen her was being told she was one of Castiel's spies that had been captured. He trusted only Ilium to interrogate her. Ilium had been one of heaven's top inquisitors during the war with Lucifer, after there had been little use for him. That is until now.

Metatron pushed his way into the room they were keeping her in, it must have been break time, because there was a lack of screams. Sure enough Ilium was wiping his hands off and moving away from her. "Anything?" he asked as Ilium got closer.

A shake of his head and Ilium threw down the rag he was using to wipe his hands. "Nothing. Just the same, 'I've had worse.'" He nodded back to the girl on the table. "I tried a new technique, but it caused her to loose consciousness too quick. You can't hurt someone who can't feel. So I healed her and we will try again. Well all except for this one," he rolled to girl to her side, where a nasty looking scar ran from her left shoulder to her right hip sat.

"What did you do?" Metatron asked poking the scar, it felt ice cold.

"I did nothing. She came to us with it. No matter what I heal, this scar stays. It is quiet intriguing."

Metatron shook his head, "I am starting to think that what ever damage this human had been though, we can't top it." He turned to Ilium, who rolled the girl back onto her back and shook his head, "Dump her into the prison, I really need to move on. It's time to turn Castiel's 'loyal' followers against him, and since I can't get any information out of her," he motioned to the girl, "just lock her up and throw away the key."

 **l-l-l-l**

The last four days brought a whole new light to the term pain. The first day had been what Kris expected, nothing original about it. Having been though worse it was more then easy for her to 'go to her happy place'. Unfortunately with them being angels there were something's they could do, like heal her and get ready to go again. They could do what the other one couldn't, He had made sure to keep her conscious though out the whole ordeal. These guys however didn't seem to care if she lost consciousness or not and once she realized that, getting herself to pass out was the top priority. Screaming for as long and loud as she could and then holding her breath while bearing down worked well. It did two things, it seemed to make angel boy think he was getting somewhere and it cut the blood supply off to her brain, making it easier for her to pass out. This had the nasty side effect of Ilium coming up with more inventive ways to cause her pain. She always made sure to say that one line again and again. 'I've had worse.' No matter what, that one line always left her mouth and nothing else.

Cold concrete, her first real thought, as she lay on the cell floor. That angel had healed her but not completely, she could feel her right clavicle was still broken, along with her left check bone and ankle. The broken clavicle rendered her entire right arm useless and the busted ankle made escape impossible, beside she had no idea where she was or how to get out anyway. Using her left arm, she pushed herself up and into a seated position, leaning against the far wall. A shabby smock cover her body, but it didn't add much warmth. She pushed her right shoulder back to try and keep the bone from grinding. Three solid walls and one with bars, no window. Her stomach growled and she realized she had no idea how long she has been with them.

"Too much time," she said out loud. Who knew what kind of trouble her family was getting into without her.

The angel who stopped her from getting away from Ilium came to the bars, Neil if she remembered correctly, and slide a food tray under the bars at the bottom. It was too far for her to get to and she would be damned to let them see her crawl. "Not hungry," she mumbled through her swollen mouth. Another growl of her stomach gave the lie away, but she didn't budge.

"Starving yourself isn't going to get you anything," he told her opening the prison door. He bent and picked up the tray, walked it over to her and set it where she could reach it.

She wasn't to proud not to eat the food but she was sure her mouth couldn't handle more then the mashed potatoes anyway. She grabbed the water bottle first and took small sips, the water stung her lips but feeling great going down her parched throat. Neil actually rolled his eyes and Kris chuckled, it was so un-angel like of him. "Eat," was all he said before he left. Once he was outside the cell she remembered something.

"Neil, wait!" He turned to her bored but didn't say anything. "How long?"

"Two weeks," he told her and walked out of her line of sight.

Her heart sank. She had been gone for two weeks and she wasn't even sure if Sam and Dean were A) aware she was missing and B) looking for her. To top it off she was pretty sure the both of them were still split and that Dean most likely had the Mark by now. Tears were falling now, both from the pain in her shoulder, face and ankle as well as the fact that everything she had tried so hard to do had failed. There would be no second chance, no re-do, no mulligan. Dean had the Mark and there was no way to remove it. Well, no way to remove it without destroying the world like last time.

Her dad had been wrong, she hadn't been able to do it. They never should have sent her back, it was all for nothing. The spell would be cast, the Mark would be destroyed, and the Darkness would be released. She hadn't stopped it, nothing had worked out. The tears weren't just falling now, they were running. Her breath hitched and it pulled her shoulder painfully. She allowed herself to feel self pity for a few more seconds. After what she had just been through, she deserved it, but only for a moment.

"Okay," she told herself, taking a few easy breaths. "Time to put your big girl panties on." A few more easy breaths and the hitching was gone, a few more and so were the tears. "So plan A is fucked. On to plan B." Unfortunately Kris had no idea what plan B would be. She glanced around the cell, "Not like I don't have time to come up with one."

The only 'person' she saw for the next few, well Kris couldn't tell how much time had passed since waking up in the prison cell , was Neil, and it was only to bring her food. After the initial conversation he didn't say anything else to her, but she was able to start measuring time with the meals he would being her. Every third meal she would make a check on the wall, which she rarely left.

Seven check marks later and Kris saw her first new face. A female angel she didn't recognize walked up to her cell. Her gray suit reminded Kris of a lawyer but her mousy brown hair threw off that illusion. At first the angel said nothing and Kris just stared back.

"I know I didn't grow a second or third head," Kris commented looking her up and down. "So what's with the gawk fest?"

"I wanted to see the traitor Castiel kept secret," she said softly. "I am just wondering why they are keeping you alive."

Kris nodded her head, but couldn't figure out who she had betrayed, but could guess that Castiel wouldn't have told the other angels about her. "You have a name, or should I call you Feather Girl?" she asked sarcastically. She hadn't been expecting an answer so she was shocked when she got one.

"It is Hannah."

 _Hannah, Hannah, Hannah. Why is that name so familiar?_ She pushed the thought to the back of her mind. "Well Hannah, you came, you saw, now what?"

"I was also going to let you know," she said, her face betraying little emotion, "you are going to be getting a couple new cell mates."

It was a lot later then Kris originally thought. She didn't have to ask who her soon to be cell mates would be, but just to be an ass she did, "So who are the lucky angels?"

If Kris wasn't mistaken there was a brief flash of pain on Hannah's face, "Your leader and his lackey."

"Hannah, now I remember who you are," Kris said sitting up straighter. "You followed Castiel, right? You begged him to lead you and the others, and then you betrayed him. So if you want to see a real traitor," she waved her hand towards her, "go look in a mirror. You and every single angel who turned their back on their mission."

Hannah said nothing at first, then after a moment of looking at Kris she turned and walked away.

A loud voice filled the cell, _"I'd like to take a moment to welcome you all back."_ It was Metatron and Kris groaned _. "I want you to know how moved I am that you've accepted me as your new God."_ Again bile rose in her throat _. "My heart, as they say, is full, which is why I want to share some wonderful news with you. I'm going on a short trip."_ Great the bastard was going to earth, this thought brought Kris to full alertness _. "Heaven's door will be temporarily closed pending my return, but rest assured all will be explained. And it will be...Glorious_ " Kris slumped back against her wall, her shoulder killing her. She would have Castiel to get more information out of soon enough.

Kris could feel her eyes getting heavy, but fought it. She didn't want to fall asleep just yet, she wanted to think of some kind of plan, any kind of plan. She wasn't sure if she had actually fallen asleep or just dozed off, either way it was the rumbling and shaking that woke her.

"What the hell," she muttered. The scene outside her cell was changing, for a split second it looked as if the normal corridor was gone and replaced by an office facade. But it happened so quick, Kris could be sure she wasn't having a hallucination.

"Ingrid," Castiel asked, "what is going on?"

' _Castiel!'_ Kris thought with a smile. She could see him in his cell from her spot.

"No, no, no, no. Not here!"

That voice she didn't recognize and she couldn't see into the cell right beside Castiel. But the tone of the voice she did know, it was one of despair, shock, and down right fear. And there was only one person Kris could think of who would be that devastated to be in heaven's prison. Gadreel.

"Did you think your little ruse would work?" An angle Kris hadn't seen before was asking Castiel.

"Please," Gadreel was begging, "Please!"

"Welcome to heaven's jail Castiel. I believe Gadreel can give you the tour."

"Are all angels asshole," Kris asked from her cell. "Is is a prerequisite or something?"

Ingrid ignored her and walked away. "Bitch," Kris mumbled.

"Kris?" She could see Castiel gripping the bars and pressing his face into them. "No! You cannot be here."

"I don't even know where here is," Kris told him.

"You are in Heaven. How long have you been here?' Castiel asked trying to get a better look at her.

"Wow." she said softly. "Relax Cas, I ain't dead. The day after I left you guys some of Metatron's goons grabbed me," she told him feeling for the first time the physical fatigue. "Spent the first four days in the company of a douche bag named Ilium."

Even from where Kris sat she could see Castiel's face fall. But it was Gadreel's gasp off to the right that spoke louder. "I am so sorry," Gadreel whispered.

"Unless you knew I was here and what they were doing, I don't want to hear it," she told Gadreel even though she couldn't see him. "I am sorry you are back in here. I know how hard it was for you the first time."

There was stone silence for a few moments then Castiel asked, "Kris, are you alright?"

Kris knew what he meant. He was asking how bad she was really injured and now that she was being forced to focus on it, her shoulder was throbbing, there were a few toes in her foot she couldn't feel and while the swelling in her face had gone down the bruises were ugly looking. Not only that but for the first time she realized she was actually having to fight to stay awake.

"Let's focus on getting to Metatron," Kris said tiredly. "What is going on with him?"

Castiel and Gadreel explained to her what had been going on since she vanished, including the suicide bombers and the loss of Castiel's followers, he also mentioned that the Trans had gone to stay with Garth's pack of werewolves, the boys thought it might be safer. Turned out that after Sam and Dean reunited, they did look for her. In fact Sam and Castiel had decided to use Gadreel to see if the other angels knew where she might be. After they explained how they were going to try and break into heaven when they heard his announcement, Kris was surprised.

"Wait a minute," she asked trying to move closer to the cell door, her ankle could no longer support her weight and dragging herself across the floor was her only option and given her right arm was useless, it made for a very painful drag. "If that message was only for angels, why was I able to hear it?"

She made it to the door and could finally see them both. That also meant the both of them got a good look at her as well. There it was, the one thing she couldn't stand seeing in another person's eyes, pity. "Do not look at me like that," she warned them. Or at least tried to, the slouching against the bars didn't help. She looked away from them.

Neither angel said anything so Kris repeated her original question. "I believe it is because you are in heaven," Gadreel answered, he didn't seem able to erase the look of horror on his face, so Kris just didn't look at him.

"Cas, we need to get out of here." Kris said with her back against the bars. The move from her wall to the bars had wiped her out.

"There is no escaping heaven's jail," a voice said.

"Welcome back Hannah," Kris said.

"How are you enjoying your new cell mates?"

Castiel ignored the question, "Hannah, you must believe me. I had nothing to do with those bombers. I never sent anyone to kill Metatron, it was a ruse on his part. He wanted you all to abandoned the cause and follow him."

"Okay, so you're telling me," Hannah asked in disbelief, "that Metatron set you up, arranged those suicide bombers to make himself look like the victim,"

"Gadreel was his second in command," Castiel said gesturing towards Gadreel's cell. "For what other reason than the truth would he turn against Metatron?" Kris could tell Castiel was fighting a loosing battle with Hannah. She would want proof of Metatron's lies.

"So now I'm expected to trust the word of an angel who's only ever thought of himself since the Garden, and you?" Even though Kris had her back to the three of them, she could practically hear Hannah roll her eyes. "Nothing you say matters. Not without proof."

"I'm your proof," Kris mustered up. "I'm your proof, that Metatron has been lying to everyone."

Twisting around, Kris could see the disbelief in Hannah's eyes, this wasn't going to be easy. "So the word of three traitors is suppose to be the proof."

"Why do you keep calling me that?" Kris asked with real confusion. "It's like you think I'm an…" Realization sunk in. Using her left arm, Kris dragged herself up the cell bars to stand, she ignored the cream of pain in her shoulder and ankle "You think I'm an angel, don't you?"

Hannah nodded her head, "You are. Metatron told us how you were a spy for Castiel and they caught you."

The earlier comments finally made sense. "Hannah," Kris said turning to face the angel completely, showing off the bruising on her face, "I'm human. Metatron took me when I was trying to talk, just talk, with Gadreel. He sent Ilium and Neil to take me. When I wouldn't rat out my fam…" Kris stuttered, "My friends, he handed me over to Ilium for more 'questioning'."

Hannah shook her head, but Kris ignored it. "You know exactly the kind of questions Ilium asks. Now tell me, if Metatron is really interested in restoring heaven and protecting the mission, why bring a human up here to be tortured?"

Nobody said a word for a moment then Gadreel spoke up, "The only thing that matters in the end is the mission - protecting those who would not and cannot protect themselves -the humans. None of us is bigger than that. And we cannot let our fears, our self-absorption prevent us from seeing it through. Not anymore."

Kris smiled to herself, this was the Gadreel Castiel was always quick to defend. "Hannah you want to know the truth about me, something I refused to tell Ilium, no matter what he did to me." She now had the angels full attention, "Castiel sent me back in time. He died to make sure I got here. I am from twenty seven years in the future." Suspicion crossed her face, so Kris pressed on. "In my timeline Gadreel sacrifices himself to prove to you Castiel is right, in my timeline Metatron goes on a killing spree, murdering every angel he can get his hands on. In my timeline, you die at his hands. You once asked Cas to lead you, let him do that now."

For a moment Kris wasn't sure she had reached Hannah, the silence was deafening. Her leg felt like jelly and Kris knew she would sink to the cell floor shortly. Her vision was getting fuzzy around the edges, so she missed Hannah moving to Castiel's cell and unlocking his door.

"Do not make me regret this," was all she said to him.


	13. Chapter 13

**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**

 _ **Chapter 13**_

 _Plan C_

Relief flooded Kris's body. Hannah had trusted them and Gadreel was still alive. _Yet another big change to the timeline,_ Kris thought as she sunk back to the floor.

"Gadreel, I need you to stay with Kris," Castiel's voice floated down to her. "Hannah show me to Metatron's office. We still need to sever the connection between Metatron and the Angel Tablet. Do you know where in his office he keeps it?"

Hannah shook her head but Kris chirped in, "In the typewriter." Wow she really was tired, she could barely make herself heard. Luckily for her, angels had great hearing. Warm hands were on her ankle and a sing of energy zipped up her right leg to the right side of her face. All the ach was gone from that side of her body, but the tiredness was still there. "Thank you Gadreel," Kris commented, still feeling unusually weak.

"It is the least I can do. Considering you ended up here because of me." The sorrow in his voice and Kris chanced a glance at his face. The pity she hated to see wasn't directed at her this time. It was turned inward this time.

Kris grabbed his hand as he reached to fix her collarbone, stopping him. He finally looked at her, "If you are going to feel sorry for yourself, then stop it. None of it was because of you. Place the blame on the one who deserves it." She let his hand go and he fixed her shoulder with a smile on his face this time.

Just when she was starting to relax and think the worst of it was over, the cell started to shake, and she grinned. The tablet was broken, the connection gone. Maybe, just maybe it was in time to help Dean, Kris thought as she motioned for Gadreel to help her stand. "Cas might need a little help."

Gadreel helped her to her feet but didn't move. His hand was at the middle of her back, "What is that?" he asked as he tried to glance where his hand was. "It is cold."

Kris twisted away from him, "It's nothing, lets go."

Gadreel held her there, "If it is from Ilium, I can heal it." Again he moved to try and take a look but Kris wouldn't let him.

"It's not from Ilium, and I'm not talking about it." She moved out of the cell and started down the corridor when loud feedback filled hall. Kris covered her ears to try and block the noise, but she could hear Metatron's voice.

" _Well played, Castiel. Obviously, you and Gadreel managed to turn a few dead enders against me_."

" _We had help. A young human named Kris_."

" _I knew I should have had Ilium dispose of her, but what can I say. I'm a softy. Ah. . And the Angel tablet - arguably the most powerful instrument in the history of the universe - is in pieces, and for what again_?"

Kris grabbed Gadreel's hand and hurried him down the corridor.

" _Oh, that's right - to save Dean Winchester. That was your goal, right? I mean, you draped yourself in the flag of heaven, but ultimately, it was all about saving one human, right? Well, guess what. He's dead_."

Kris stopped dead in her tracks, it felt as if Neil had hit her in the gut again and she couldn't breath. _'NO! That stupid jackass,"_ Kris thought to herself. She had no plan C to stop the Mark. .

"Kris," a kind voice beside her. She had forgotten Gadreel. "We need to focus. The office is down here." Kris nodded. Metatron was still talking.

" _And then? They will do nothing because they are frightened little sheep following my crook wherever it leads. And where I'm taking them, back to our rightful place atop this mountain of human shame and excrement - when that happens, trust me, they're not gonna care how they got there_."

The two of them turned to corner and came to a stop. A wall of angels were standing between them and the office. But none of the seemed to be paying attention to Kris or Gadreel. They were listening to Metatron's speech. That was when it occurred to her, he had no idea he was being broadcasted.

"Cas, you sly dog," she said grinning.

" _You know, why you could never quite pull it together, Castiel_ ," Metatron continued, while Kris pulled Gadreel past the other angels. " _While you're sitting here with Your Grace slowly burning away and your reputation long extinguished? No curiosity. You didn't read enough. You never learned how to tell a good story_."

Kris reached the office door, Hannah was already there with Neil standing right beside her, again neither paid the two of them any mind.

" _But you did."_ Castiel's voice sounded almost smug and Kris knew he had just let Metatron in on the little secret. He was being broadcasted to every angel in heaven and on earth. Kris smiled as the rest of the angles seemed to snap out of their trances. All of them moving towards the office doors. She took great pleasure in opening the doors and being the first to step through.

Kris walked in just as the smirk faded from Metatron's face. She ignored him, walked to Castiel and released him from the chair. Her adrenaline was running thin but she would be damned to show weakness in front of the angel host. Someone handed Castiel an angel blade, and he actually raised it. Kris put a gentle hand on his arm, "Don't become the angel he has made you out to be. You're better then him."

Castiel kept the blade raised and then lowered it, "Lock him up." The three angels at Metatron's side took him away.

Kris slumped against Castiel, as Hannah stepped up to him. "You are doing the right thing, letting him live. It's what a leader would do."

Castiel handed Hannah the angel blade, "I am no leader, Hannah. I never was." He looked down at Kris leaning against him and put his arm around her to hold her up. "I just want to be an angel."

"Good to hear," Kris whispered. "But we aren't done yet. We need to get back to the Bunker, Now."

Castiel looked around, "I know what Metatron said but,"

"I can either go in your place," Gadreel interrupted, "or stay here if you like."

He nodded a thank you, "Take Kris back to the Bunker and check on Sam." Castiel basically passed Kris too him. "He will need someone with him. I will be there as soon as I can."

Kris was too tired to explain how the Mark would keep Dean alive, just not as a human.

Gadreel took her and lead her out of the room, past a few office looking cubicles and on to an elevator. "Close your eyes, Kris. I am not sure how a human will react to traveling from heaven back to Earth."

Considering she had been unconscious on the trip up, Kris closed her eyes for the trip back. The elevator door's closed as did her eyes and a bright light nearly blinded her, even with her eyes closed. She buried her face in Gadreel's side trying to protect her eyes.

Just as suddenly as the light started it was gone. When Kris opened her eyes they were standing in a park. There were two other angels, a woman dressed in punk and a young girl. Kris could tell they were angels, they were both wearing halo's.

That was new. She looked up at Gadreel as he lead her past the two angles without a word to them. She was tucked tight to his side and was pretty much dragging her, but sure enough there it was. A dull goose gray light in the shape of a sphere circled his head, the same as the other two.

She gasped and Gadreel looked down at her, "What is it? Are you hurting?" He sounded worried and that made Kris feel so much better.

She shook her head, "No, but how long have you guys been showing off your halo's?" She pointed to his head.

"You can see it?" He sounded shocked and the other two angels stopped what they were doing.

Kris nodded and pointed to the other two angels, "I didn't know halo's came in different colors. The little one's is almost a grass green and the bigger one's is a really pale blue. Is that normal?"

Gadreel shook his head, "Kris you shouldn't be able to see them. Are you seeing wings too?"

A quick glance at the girls back's and she shook her head, "Nope, just your halo's."

"How is that possible?"

Kris could feel her energy running on fumes, "Let's figure that out later." nodding to the car Gadreel and Castiel had apparently abandoned when they went to heaven, "Please tell me you can drive?"

Surprise, surprise he could. Kris leaned against the door jam and must have dozed off, because it felt like the second after she had closed her eyes, Gadreel was shaking her awake. "We are here."

"Do I want to know how much over the speed limit you went?" she asked sleepily.

"Speed limit?" he asked about to exit the car.

Kris just rolled her eyes and got out of the car. He guided her to the door, down the stairs and into a chair at the war table.

The bunker was incredibly quiet, there was no hum of the AC, so it was kind of stuffy. They lights were on and that was about it.

"Sam!" Gadreel called out, but got no answer. He looked at Kris, "Do you think he is back yet?"

Kris nodded, "Try the dungeon or Dean's room."

"Will you be alright while I search for him?"

She was going to sprain her eyes with all the eye rolling at him. "Yes," she told him and waved him off. "Now go."

He left her and she sighed. Sam was going to be heart broken, both right now and when he finds out what his brother will soon become.

Kris looked around the war room, Kevin must have taken all of his research with him. But now that he was still alive, maybe he could repair the tablet and they could get more information on the Mark of Cain. There had been something on the tablet Metatron didn't want the Prophet to translate, why else would he have Gadreel kill Kevin and then flip the switch to keep another prophet from being called.

" _Yea,_ " she thought as she spun back to the table. " _I have a plan C._ " Cure Dean, have Kevin fix the tablet, translate the rest of it and hope there is more in there about the damn Mark. _Ladies and gentlemen, I give you plan C."_ She was so very proud of herself and distracted with filling in the details of Plan C onto paper, that she didn't hear the foot falls until they were practically on top of her.

Kris spun around just as Dean was coming around the corner. "Dean," she whispered, more to herself in disbelief then trying to actually call to him. He did turn towards her, but didn't say anything or alter his course, he kept heading for the stairs.

To Kris his face was distorted, like looking through a fun house mirror. His mouth was pulled wider then it should be, as if he were smiling, more like leering. But there was no smile, while his eyes were coal black and seemed to look though Kris rather then at her. " _What the hell am I seeing?"_ she thought, forcing herself to stand and attempt to move towards him.

By the time she found the strength to stand, Dean was already at the top of the stairs and glaring down at her. Her body froze…

… _she stopped short when she looked up and the man standing on the staircase was not Sam or Castiel._

 _There was something about this man the immediately put her on edge. His eyes weren't black, and Sam had told her Demons couldn't get in the bunker. In fact nothing should have been able to get in. "Who are you?" she asked her voice barley a whisper._

"I see you've meet the new and improved Dean," Crowley's voice snapped her back to the present.

She shook her head and refused to look at Crowley. Her eyes still stuck on Dean's black ones. "You can't leave," she said up to him. He ignored her and actually looked bored. "Crowley, you can't take...," she turned to face him.

Something burned in her abdomen and a small grunt escaped her lips. She looked down, saw a knife sticking halfway out of her with Crowley's hand still attached to it but her mind couldn't wrap itself around what just happened. She looked back to Crowley, half expecting to see the same kind of facial distortions she had with Dean, but didn't. He looked as she remembered him, but he had a soft smile on his face. She felt a sharp tug, and the burning sensation spread like wildfire though her body. Still her mind rejected what had happened. "Sorry darling," he said stepping around her. "We needed a little distraction."

Kris's legs gave out, as her body was slowly catching on to what her mind was still rejected. She placed her hand on her abdomen and came away with bright crimson blood. The fire spread to her chest and she tried to call out, but all that came out was a soft groan.

Crowley stood over her, "Don't worry love, it won't kill you. I'll hurt like hell though and I made sure to put a little something extra for our feathered friends. Can't have them giving you a quick fix."

Her eyes were looking past the monster standing over of her, to Dean on the landing. He was saying something but Kris couldn't make it out.

"Yea, were done here," Crowley said and turned away from her and followed Dean out of the bunker.


	14. Chapter 14

**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**

 _ **Chapter 14**_

 _ **A Harsh Reality**_

Everything from Kris's neck down felt like it was on fire. Whatever Crowley had put on that knife felt as if it were burning it's way though her entire system. She tried again to call out, but nothing happened. Not a grunt, sigh, or groan. She could feel the blood oozing between her fingers and her next thought was that she would bleed out before Sam or Gadreel found her.

Foot steps and harsh voices, broke though the burning. Then Gadreel's face filled her vision. "Kris! Kris can you hear me?"

She thought she nodded, as Gadreel looked down to where her hands pressed against her stomach. She felt him lay his hands over hers and the burning intensified. She screamed and attempted to push Gadreel's hands away from her, "Stop, Stop it!" she cried out, "It burns!"

"What's wrong?" It was Sam's voice.

"I can not heal her." Gadreel's hands were covered in Kris's blood. "Every time I try it hurts her more."

Sam looked down at Kris. There were tears rolling out of the corner of her eyes and her hands were no longer pressed against the wound. The pool of blood was getting bigger, and they were running out of time. "Pick her up."

Gadreel looked confused for a moment but did as Sam instructed. "If I can not heal her I am sure no other angel will be able to as well."

Sam shook his head, "We aren't going to an angel. We're going to a hospital."

Sam lead Gadreel, with Kris in his arms out of the bunker and climbed into the driver seat of the car Gadreel and Kris had driven in. Gadreel slid into the back, keeping a tight grip on Kris, talking to her the whole way there.

Once there Sam started laying on the horn. Some nurse who seemed to be out for a quick smoke saw them and hollered for a gurney. Sam helped Gadreel get Kris out of the car. "What happened?" The nurse asked while checking Kris's eyes.

"She's been stabbed," Sam couldn't think of a good lie right now. "We tried to stop the bleeding but she's lost a lot of blood." Gadreel laid her on the gurney another nurse brought.

The four of them ran inside, Sam and Gadreel on one side, the nurse on the other. She was feeling for a pulse on Kris's wrist. "Get Doctor Olsen down here now!" The first nurse yelled at an aide they passed. The aide took off and the nurse started spouting off orders. The first was, "You two," she pointed to Sam and Gadreel, "wait here."

Neither of them protested and they stopped outside the doors, watching the nurse's take her back.

Sam turned away first, but Gadreel stood staring at the doors. He had noticed something when he tried to heal Kris, something very familiar he couldn't put his finger on. "Sam," he called over his shoulder. He turned to the man, "How do you know her?"

"She's from the future," Sam said taking a seat. "That was how she kept you from killing Kevin."

Gadreel looked away for a moment, that was not his proudest moment. "Yes, she told us that in heaven, but why did she come here?"

Sam leaned back into the very uncomfortable hospital chair, "She says Castiel and myself sent her back here because Dean goes dark and kills the both of us, but not before we were able to send her back. She wasn't very specific on the how part though."

Gadreel turned back to the closed doors. That familiar feeling was back but He just couldn't put his finger on it. He returned to Sam's side and sat in the empty seat next to him to wait.

 **I-I-I-I**

It was dark and Kris couldn't see. _Sam? Gadreel?_ _Somebody?_ Her vision was starting to clear and she could make out off yellow walls, people around her and loud voices. "Twenty-something year old female. Brought in by her friends, with a stab wound to her lower abdomen. We've gotten the bleeding under control but can't seem to find the source."

"Is she responsive?" the new voice was shining a light into Kris's eyes and she wanted to close them but couldn't.

"No. She was unconscious when they brought her in. Her blood pressure is eighty-nine over fifty-seven, pulse is forty-five. Her vitals are dropping Doctor."

The voices were starting to fade and Kris knew that was not a good sign. It was getting harder and harder for her to make out what they were saying, until finally she couldn't hear anything. _This can't be good,_ was her last real thought.

 **I-I-I-I**

Four hours of sitting in the reception room waiting for information on Kris was starting to grind Sam's nerves. Crowley was right about one thing, hurting Kris the way he had had given him and Dean the head start they needed. For the hundredth time Sam left Gadreel's side to go back to the receptionists desk. The lady behind it looked up at him and sighed.

"Sir, I still don't have any information on your friend." She didn't sound annoyed but sympathetic, like she had years of practice dealing with impatient people. "I promise I will let you know…" Her phone rang and she held up a slender finger as she picked up the receiver, "Front desk."

Sam huffed, he knew it wasn't her fault, but he was starting to loose all patients.

"Sir, what is your friends name again?"

"Kris Richardson," Sam answered, with fatigue in his voice.

She smiled, "She is out of surgery and the doctor is on his way out to speak with you." She pointed to the far set of double door, "He'll be coming through there."

Sam nodded his thanks, then headed back to Gadreel and relayed the same information. They both walked towards the doors and saw a man dressed in scrubs coming out. "Richardson?" he asked, looking at the two of them.

Sam nodded.

"Well she is out of surgery, but there are still problems. She was bleeding internally and we are having a hard time finding the bleed. Her heart stopped twice and after the second time we decided to insert a tube to drain the blood from her abdomen and wait until she is stronger. The problem is we don't know when that will be. Right now we have her on continues blood transfusions and I am hoping this will strengthen her heart but I won't know for sure."

Gadreel seemed lost, he had no idea what all of that meant, but Sam did. "So if you can't go in and stop the bleeding she won't make it, will she?"

"To put it simply," the doctor said looking Sam in the eye. "No, she won't." He paused to let that sink in. "We have her in the ICU, if you would like I can have an aide take you up there."

Sam hesitated and Gadreel held him back for a moment. "I need to report this to Castiel and the others," he told him. "Can you stay with her?"

Sam looked put off, "I need to find my brother." He glanced back to the doctor who was speaking to an aide. "Can you hold off on telling Cas?"

"Let me tell Castiel first. Finding Dean and Crowley will wait." Gadreel put a gentle hand on Sam's shoulder. "I promise, I will be back soon, maybe someone will know how to help Kris."

Sam didn't want to stay put, he wanted to find his brother and figure out what the hell Crowley had done to him. He wanted to be out there hunting Crowley down, but leaving Kris here by herself went against something inside him. It just didn't feel right. "Alright, but hurry back."

Gadreel nodded and headed out of the hospital, while the aide showed Sam to the ICU.

 **I-I-I-I**

Sam never thought someone so little could bleed that much. Six times they had to empty the bladder looking thing collecting her blood. Three time they'd had to hang new blood. If Gadreel couldn't find anything in heaven to help Kris, Sam wasn't sure she would last the night.

A nurse stepped in, "I need to check her vital signs again." Sam looked at his watch, one hour on the dot he thought, but just nodded and scooted back. This had become a routine now. Vital signs, fifteen minutes later empty the bladder thing, fifteen minutes later hang the blood, thirty minutes later vital signs. After about the second set of vitals there would be an hour lull, then it would start all over again.

Sam watched the nurse, "How is she doing?"

The nurse smiled at him, "Her blood pressure is stable, but that is mostly because of all the blood we are giving her. Her heart rate is still very low and her beat is still very weak. But she is hanging in there. She's a fighter, this one. I don't normally say this," she said typing in all the new vitals into the computer, "but if I had to bet, I would bet on her pulling though this. Just have a little faith."

Sam just nodded, but kept his thoughts to himself. He had seen to many good people die, and he didn't think Kris would pull though this.

 **I-I-I-I**

 _Kris watched the nurse leave her room. "Damn right I'm a fighter," she said out loud, even though no one could hear her. She looked at her Dad just sitting there, he looked like he was ready to give up. "Trust me Dad, I am not quitting on you. Not now, not ever." It was a meaningless statement because A) he couldn't hear her and B) he had no idea she was his daughter._

 _When Kris had come to, she had expected a Reaper waiting for her, but so far none had shown themselves. On the glass is half empty side she chalked it up to the door to heaven being under new management and it would probable take the Reapers a lot of overtime to get caught up. Granted that was her being pessimistic. On the optimistic side she was hoping she was only having an out of body experience. She preferred the glass half full of her thinking._

 _Gadreel walked into the room and Kris held her breath, could angels see,… well what ever she was._

 **I-I-I-I**

"Sam," Gadreel said gently and Sam looked up. For a split second there was hope in his eyes. "Castiel and the others are aware of the situation. One of the angels has an idea what Crowley might have done."

Sam stood up and nodded out in to the hallway. "Let's talk out there."

Once out in the hall Sam asked what upstairs knew. "An angel I ran into believes he knows what was on the blade Crowley stabbed Kris with."

"Okay," Sam stated. "What was it?"

"Aric believes Crowley mixed the shavings of an angel blade with a potion and coated the blade in the mix. That is why I can not heal her. It causes more damage when I try, which is most likely why these doctors can not find the source of her bleed."

"And how does this help her now?" Sam was getting impatient.

"That is the good news, it will wear off in twenty-four hours. She has to hold on until then."

Sam looked back into Kris's room. Even with all the blood they were giving her she was still so pale, "Gadreel, I don't think Kris can hold on that long." Sam looked at his watch, surprisingly it had only been ten hours since she was injured. "Look at her?"

Gadreel laid a calming hand on Sam's shoulder, "I would think the same thing to had I not seen how bad she was in heaven. She is a fighter Sam, she will not give up so easily."

He couldn't figure out why he cared so much about this girl, but Sam truly hoped Gadreel and the nurse was right.

He turned his thoughts back to Dean, "I need to find Dean. I have to figure out what Crowley did to him." Gadreel nodded.

"I understand. I will stay with Kris, you go do what you must."

Sam pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and handed it to Gadreel, "You do know how to use this, right?" Gadreel smiled but just nodded taking the phone. "Good, call me with any news."

Six hours later found Gadreel still at Kris's side. He had not left her, it was one of the benefits of being an angel, no bathroom breaks needed. "I know you are here Kris," Gadreel said out loud finally. "I can feel you." Off and on over the last six hours he could feel her presence but couldn't see her. "I know you must be scared, but I know how strong willed you are. I could sense it in you when you stopped me from killing Kevin Tran. Thank you for that." He wondered if this was how humans felt when praying to his Father. It was a very one sided conversation, but he knew she could hear him. "Eight more hours, Kris. Just hang in there for eight more hours, you can do it."

 **I-I-I-I**

 _Kris didn't blame her father for leaving, Dean needed him too and she had an angel to watch over her. When Gadreel first started talking to her, she thought for a moment that he could see her. "So much for that theory." He was right, she was scared. She was scared she would never wake up, that she would be trapped in this limbo forever. She was still surprised there were no Reapers any where. But having this angel who had been an enemy at first, showing that he really cared about her was a nice change. She took a seat on the side of the bed. "I'm glad you're here to keep me safe Gadreel, even if you did try and kill me the first time we meet."_

 **I-I-I-I**

Over the next eight hours two major things happened. The first was Kris's heart stopped again. Four hours before he could heal her, the alarms blared, Gadreel considered trying to heal her again and had to restrain himself by reminding himself she was in this situation because he tried to heal her to begin with. Three nurses and the doctor were able to get Kris's heart started again and the doctor insisted there be two nurse's assigned to her. Gadreel had never seen a human as pale as she was right now. The nurse said it was because of the blood loss.

The second thing to happen had nothing to do with Kris. Crowley call.

The phone rang and Gadreel had assumed it was Sam calling to check up on Kris's condition.

"Sam," Gadreel had said stepping out of Kris's room to take the call.

"Sorry Feather Boy," came the drawl reply. "Not Moose."

"Crowley," growled Gadreel. He glanced back into Kris's room. The nurse was hanging a new bag of blood.

"My mistake Bird boy. I thought I was calling Moose."

"Sam left me the phone so I could keep him updated on Kris. You know, the girl you are trying to kill."

A slight chuckle and Gadreel really wished his wings were working so he could get to Crowley right then and rip out his vocal cords. "Oh lets not be dramatic. It was only a simple spell, should wear off in a few hours."

"Yes and right now Kris is fighting for her life. Her heart has stopped three times now, she's bleeding into her abdomen…"

Crowley cut him off, "I really didn't call for an update on Future Girl. Just tell the Moose that his brother is doing fine and he should really take Dean's advise and let him go."

It was Gadreel's turn to laugh now, "I have been in Sam's head, that is never an option. He will figure out what you did to his brother and trust me, Sam will kill you. That's a promise."

"Promise's love," Crowley said almost sounding board, "are made to be broken. Just pass along my message like a good little boy." A sharp click and he was gone.

Gadreel had to really concentrate not to squeeze the phone to hard, but he really needed to break something.

He went back into the room, the nurse was just leaving, "Was that your friend?"

Gadreel shook his head, "No."

She left without saying another word and He returned to his seat beside Kris's bed. "Three more hours Kris. Hold on, you are almost there."

I-I-I-I

 _Three more hours, Kris thought to herself, as she stood just inside the door. She wasn't sure she had the strength to hold out that long. That last heart failure must have taken it's toll on her. She could feel herself getting weaker. 'I can do this,' she said out loud. 'I have too."_

 _"Oh come on," a voice behind her said. She spun around and found an older man in a suit, with brown hair, a beard and a mustache. "Keeping yourself alive can't be that hard."_

 _"Reaper." Kris stated more then asked as she walked towards him._

 _He nodded but held up his hands, "I am just not your Reaper."_

 _"I don't understand. If you're not here for me, then why are you here?"_

 _The man shrugged his shoulder, "Well we are actually caught up on our work, FINALLY. And I was curious about you." He wandered down the hall and Kris followed._

 _"Why me," she asked as he walked into an empty room._

 _"Well for starters, you are Sam Winchester's daughter; my boss is very interested in why you came back."_

 _Kris crossed her arms. This was treading in dangerous waters. First of all in her timeline Dean hadn't parted ways with Death on very good terms, and second, did Death know what might happened to him. "It's like I said, I came to keep Dean from going Dark."_

 _The Reaper nodded, "But there is more to your quest now isn't there?" He sat on the empty bed, "Something you're not telling them."_

 _Scoffing Kris sat next to him, "There are a lot of things I am not telling them. But I'll let you know this, in my timeline the Mark is destroyed and your boss knows what that means."_

 _Another nod, "Yes, we Reapers know what that means." He looked at her, "But with Dean having the Mark what is your plan now?"_

 _A full fledge laugh came out of Kris this time, "In case you haven't been following the game, NONE of my 'plans' have worked so far."_

 _The Reaper tilted his head to the side, "That's not completely true, your plan to save the prophet seemed to work just fine."_

 _She looked hard at the Reaper, trying to decide if he was telling her something, "Are you trying to tell me, me saving Kevin was against some kind of rule? Because Sa… I mean my Dad told me of the time your boss made him a reaper to get Sam's soul back."_

 _The Reaper shrugged, "Not to my knowledge, but then again I am not privy to the Master List. I just go where He tells me."_

 _"So this little visit really is just you being curious?"_

 _Again he nodded._

 _"Does that mean I'm not going to die?"_

 _It was the Reapers turn to laugh, "We Reapers don't tell the future, we just guide the souls."_

 _They sat there for a moment. When they weren't trying to blow things up, or reap souls, Reapers seemed pretty cool. "So now what?" she asked after a few moments passed._

 _"Well I believe your time it up."_

 _Kris's heart dropped, "But you said.."_

 _He chuckled, "Not that time. I believe the time has passed and if your angel friend wished it he could heal you now."_

 _"But it's only been a few moments."_

 _"Time in the Veil moves very differently." He nodded to the clock on the wall._

 _Sure as shit, three an a half hours had passed. She looked at the Reaper, "Did you do this on purpose?"_

 _Much to her shock, he nodded. "You hanging around your body like that is the reason your heart failed. The stress of your mind worrying and all that. I figured if I could get your mind on something else, even for a moment, you would have a better chance."_

 _Kris chuckled and shook her head in disbelief, "So you kind of just saved my life."_

 _He winked, "Don't tell anyone." He vanished._

 _She left the empty room and drifted back to hers. Gadreel was still sitting beside her, but he wasn't healing her. "Well come on."_

I-I-I-I

The nurse had just left, but still Gadreel didn't heal her. He was worried, worried he would hurt her again and make her worse, worried not enough time had passed. He held his hand over her abdomen but couldn't bring himself to fix her. She had been in so much pain, what if that happened again. He glanced at the monitors. Her heart rate was back up, so was her blood pressure. Maybe she could pull out of it without him.

A cold draft hit his back and he smiled. "I know your back Kris.," he said to the empty air. "I am sorry, but what if I am wrong? What if I do this and you end up in worse shape?" Gadreel clasped his hands, "I can not be responsible for your death."

The cold draft was back, ten folds. Cold enough he could see his breath, Kris was getting mad. "Alright, I get it. You want me to take the chance." The temperature increased, she was happy. "Fine, but if you die, do not come crying to me."


	15. Chapter 15

**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**

 _ **Chapter 15**_

 _ **Genesis**_

The darkness surrounded her, but Kris could still see, a small pinprick of light, so far off there was no way she could ever get to it. At first she tried running to it, but no matter how fast she moved the light stayed a pinprick. Finally she stopped and tried to catch her breath. Her chest ached from running so hard. _'No, that's not right,_ " she thought taking one deep breath after another. " _I've never had trouble breathing after a run, much less having my chest hurt._ " There had to be another reason. That's when it hit her. _Wasn't I just talking to a Reaper? Yea, and he said I wasn't dying._ Oh Shit! Realizing what that light might be she turned her back on it. Her chest started hurting more. She waked further into the black, her chest hurting more and more the further she went. _But it's not burning,_ she thought.

After what felt like forever she lost track of walking. It was like waking up from a dream you didn't realize was a dream. Her arms felt heavy, in fact her whole body felt as if a heavy, wet blanket were holding her to the bed. Her throat hurt, and she tried to swallow. This couldn't be right, if Gadreel had healed her shouldn't all of her aches be gone like last time.

"Gad.." she tried to chock out but a rough, dry and scratchiness was still in her throat and all that came out was a groan.

"Easy, Kris," a voice told her. "I have not healed you completely."

 _What! Why the hell not,_ she wanted to ask but that little groan had killed her throat, so she just shook her head.

"I needed to make sure I would not hurt you again."

Even though her eyes wouldn't open, Kris still rolled them. She tried with all her will to force her eyes open. The room seemed ungodly bright and she scrunched her eyes closed. An audible click and the brightness disappeared, and her eyes opened a little.

Everything was blurry as hell. Shapes and shadows only, but she could tell Gadreel's shape. The glowing halo gave him away. Kris felt her mouth curl into a small smile and she lifted her hand off the bed.

Gadreel's finger found hers and they were surprisingly warm for an angel. "I…still…see…it," she forced out of her sore throat.

His hand tightened on hers, "It is good to hear your voice."

Her smile increased. "Now…fix…the rest," she demanded.

Thirty minutes after waking up the doctor and nurse's were shocked as hell. The bleed was gone and Kris seemed just fine. 'A miracle," was being spoken around the hospital and Kris didn't care what they chalked it up to, she just wanted out. The Doctor wanted her to remain over night for observations and Gadreel tried to convince her to listen to him.

"Hell No!" she said. "I am so done with hospitals. I am leaving, Now!"

After signing more paperwork then a Crossroads deal, Kris, with Gadreel right beside her, was walking out of the hospital.

"Take me back to the bunker," Kris said. "We need to talk with Sam."

 **I-I-I-I**

Kris walked into the bunker and found Sam at the War Room table. "Sam," she called down to him. He looked up, a smile crossed his face and Kris grinned back.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," he said as she descended the stairs.

"Thanks," she said. "Pleasantries aside, we need to talk about Dean."

Sam nodded, "Yea, Gadreel told me about Crowley's call."

Kris shook her head, "Crowley didn't explain everything and I know you are working under the assumption that he did this to Dean."

"He did. Crowley turned my brother into a demon."

Shaking her head, Kris sat on the edge of the table, as Gadreel took his own seat. She had refused to explain anything to him until Sam was in on the conversation too. "The Mark did this."

She gestured to a chair and surprisingly Sam took it. "What I am about to tell you is the history of The Mark of Cain."

Even Gadreel looked a little surprised. "'In the beginning, God created the heaven and the Earth. And the Earth was without form and void; and Darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light, and there was light.'" She paused in her speech, "You see where I am going with this, right?"

Sam nodded his head, "Yea that's the Book of Genesis, verses one through three."

"That's the Sunday school version of the beginning. In reality it was a lot less fuzzy and a lot more bloody. Before there was God and the Archangels, there was The Darkness, an amoral force, that only cared about destruction. The war to contain it was bloody, but God and his Archangels were able to banish it. I wasn't told how," she looked to Gadreel, "and I am one hundred percent sure it was looong before your time." Gadreel nodded. "So God locked it away and created the Mark to contain it. The Mark serves as lock and key and was given to Lucifer."

"So the Mark of Cain should really be called the Mark of Lucifer?" Sam asked. Kris rolled her eyes.

"We can call it what ever we want, but it's still evil. You see the Mark started to assert it's own will and began to corrupt Lucifer."

Gadreel stood up, "So my brother became jealous of God's creation of men because of the Mark?"

Kris nodded, "And because of that, God banished Lucifer to Hell. Well long story short, after Lucifer created Lilith he really wanted to stick it to Daddy Dearest. So he gave the Mark to Cain, who has now given the Mark to Dean. But the mark has a will of it's own. It won't let the bearer die. The Mark has twisted Dean's soul so bad, that he is now a demon. That's the bad news."

Sam scoffed, "You mean there is good news?"

Kris smiled and nodded, "He can be cured." She waited for that to sink in. "It means he can be turned back to a human, Sam."

She waited again. This was where plan C would come in. She looked around and amazingly the paper she had been writing her Plan C on was still at the end of the table. "Before Crowley and Dean took off," she wasn't going to say, 'Before Crowley tried to kill me.' "I had an idea." She pulled the paper to her and showed it to Sam and Gadreel. "We cure 'Dean-mon',"

Sam interrupted her, "Dean-mon?"

Kris shrugged her shoulders, her eyes fixed on the paper in front of her. "What? It sounds pretty neat. Anyway, after we cure him, or even before we cure him, we get Kevin to fix the tablet and have him start trying to translate the part Metatron made so hard to read. There has to be more in there about the Mark."

"And if there isn't?" Gadreel asked.

Kris squinted her eyes at him, "We cross that bridge when we get to it."

Over the next two weeks, between Sam searching for demonic signs, Castiel coming and going (Cas had decided to try and get Heaven back on it's feet, he was trusting Gadreel to act as the go between for Sam, Kris and himself.) Kris found she had a lot of free time since arriving. She didn't like it. It gave her time to think and it wasn't about things she wanted to remember. The nightmares were back.

Nearly every night she had woken up in a cold sweat, with her hand covering her mouth to keep from screaming. The nightmares were the same, with a few differences. It would switch from Dean to Ilium torturing her, but it always ended with Crowley stabbing her. She could tell it was a dream, but her body would lock up and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't wake herself up. It wasn't until she felt the blade burn it's way through her abdomen that she was able to throw herself into full awakens. On the nights she didn't dream of torture it was just a crushing black weight. It became so bad Kris would find reasons not to sleep.

If Sam noticed her lack of sleep, he kept it to himself. It killed her not to be able to confide in him. But then she would have to explain 'other' things including the scar on her back and that was not something Sam needed to know. It was only a matter of time though.

One night Kris jerked awake but wasn't able to keep the scream inside. It was loud and long before she realized she was actually making the noise. She cut the scream short but this brought up other images. _Angry voices, shouts, and then a yell cut short._ "No, no, no," she mumbled, rubbing her temple as hard as she could. "I am not going there."

"Going where?" a voice asked from her door.

She jerked and looked towards the door to see Gadreel standing there, he looked worried. "Sorry," she said covering her face. "Didn't mean to wake you."

Gadreel grinned and walked in to sit on the edge of the bed, "Angels don't sleep, so you didn't wake me up."

Kris pressed the palm's of her hands into her eyes and groaned. "This sucks."

"What is wrong Kris?" Gadreel asked as he gently rubbed her back, his hand coming into contact with the scar on her back. She jerked away from him.

"It's nothing," she said quickly.

He tried to look her in the eyes, but she kept her face turned away from him. She gripped the bed sheets tight. But her mind was else where, maybe that was why the nightmares were back. Maybe her time with Ilium had messed up what Castiel had done to her mind. Unfortunately, if she wanted the nightmares to stop that would mean a 'tune-up', and that would mean telling someone what had happened the first time.

She sighed, grabbed the old flannel she kept by her bed and started putting it on, "There is no way I am sleeping now." She moved passed Gadreel but he blocked her with his arm.

"Kris," he sounded very patent, "talk to me. Tell me what is going on. Maybe I can help."

She just shook her head, but didn't deny it. "You're right you probable could help, but it's a catch 22 for me."

He gave her a confused look, "I do not understand…"

Kris cut him off by laughing, "That reference, yea I know. Follow me, I'll explain it." She lead him into the kitchen and got out the Jen&Berry's Black Cherry ice cream. She sat at the island in the middle of the kitchen and gestured for Gadreel to take a eat, which he did.

Kris opened the ice cream and dug into it. "So what I am about to tell you does not ever," she pointed the spoon with the ice cream on it at him, "leave this room." She dropped her eyes back to the pint in front of her. "Not even Kevin knows this and Sam can not ever," again the spoon came up at him, "know about this. Understood?"

Gadreel did not immediately nod his head. He knew better then to agree to something he knew nothing about, that was how he got into trouble to begin with. "You want me to keep secrets from Sam?"

Another bite of ice cream and she shook her head yes without looking up.

"Let me here what you have to say," he responded while leaning onto the table.

Kris took four more bites of the ice cream, set the pint aside, took a deep breath and started.


	16. Chapter 16

**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**

 _ **Chapter 16**_

 _ **Nightmares**_

"When I first came to live with Sam, I had no idea he had a brother. He never told, I never thought to ask. That lack of information came back to bite us both in the ass. Sam was on a hunt, we found out later that Dean had arranged it to get him out of the bunker, and Cas was in heaven. I was here because Sam still didn't want me going on hunts just yet…"

 _After two days alone in the bunker, Kris was starting to hear every little thing going on in it. She could tell the difference between the water heater starting up and the cooler turning on._

" _I am getting way to use to this place," she thought out loud. She had been listening to 'Imagine Dragons' new hit single 'Rebel', while sitting in her room, when she heard the bunker door open. She guessed it to be the door because it was the only sound in this place she probable couldn't recognize._

" _Yay, Sam or Cas is back," she said as she slid the laptop off her lap. "I think I was going nuts." She dashed out of her bedroom door and actually hurried down the corridor leading to the War Room._

" _About time," she called out before entering the room. "I was starting to think you ditch…" she stopped short when she looked up and the man standing on the staircase was not Sam or Castiel._

 _Kris froze, there was something about this man the immediately put her on edge. His eyes weren't black, and Sam had told her demons couldn't get into the bunker. In fact nothing should have been able to get in. "Who are you?"_

 _She stepped back, as the man continued down the stairs, but didn't answer her question. His brown hair was sticking up, he was slightly smaller then Sam, but it was his eyes that caused her to freeze in her place. "What are you?" she whispered._

 _The man only smiled, keeping his eyes on her. His eyes were green, but they seemed way to dull. There were no emotion in them. Her father, Don, had once said you could tell a lot about a man if you looked him square in the eyes. Dead eyes, was the only thing Kris could compare them to. Dead but full of destruction._

 _The room felt as if a vacuum had sucked out every emotion in it. Kris knew that who or what ever this man was, he was dangerous. "What do you want?" came out in another whisper. Her breath was coming in short gasps and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't get her body to take a deep enough breath._

 _The man was standing in front of her, but Kris couldn't make herself move away from him. He didn't say a thing as he reached up and gently brushed back a strain of her hair, his hand cold as death. When he finally spoke his words chilled her to the bone, "This is going to be fun."_

 _At those words, what ever had been holding her there released and she bolted out of the room. The man's laughter following her down the corridor as she ran. She passed her room, stopping just long enough to grab the cell Sam had given her her second week there. Her room was not safe, she knew that, but the dungeon should hold. A quick glance back and the corridor was still empty. Kris managed to get to the dungeon, close and bolt the doors._

 _She turned her phone on as she flipped off the lights. Moving to the back of the room she quickly opened her contacts and called Sam's number. After a few rings it went to voice mail._

" _Sam? Come on Sam pick up. There's a man in the bunker. I don't know who he is but he got in and… I don't know how to explain it. Just call me back as soon as you get this. Please, Sam. I'm scared."_

 _She ended the call and quickly plugged in Castiel's number. Granted if he was off doing business for heaven she would never reach him either. It only took two rings and Castiel's voice came over the phone._

" _What is it Kristina," he asked sounding as if he were right in the middle of something._

" _Cas, a man is in the bunker. I don't know who he is but he is scaring the hell out of me. I don't know how he got in. He didn't say anything." She took a deep breath, "Cas I am terrified right now."_

" _Describe the man."_

" _Tall, but not as tall as Sam, about your height, brown spiky hair, green eyes. But it's like they're dead. It's scary."_

 _A word came out of Castiel's mouth that sounded odd from him, "His name is Dean, get somewhere safe."_

" _I'm in the dungeon right now, but Cas, I don't think that's going to stop him."_

 _There was some shattering noises from above her and Kris choked back a shout._

" _Did you call Sam, I am too far to get there in time." There was panic in Castiel's voice and this brought on a whole new fear into Kris's chest. The words 'in time' repeating over and over. "Kris!" Castiel's shout brought her back._

" _He didn't answer," she whispered close to tears, he never used just her first name. "I…I left a voice message. Cas? What do I do?" She pushed the tears down._

" _Stay hidden and try not to make any noise. I need to hang up. I'm going to try and call Sam. Put your phone on vibrate." The panic was gone from his voice and this helped Kris to focus. "Kristina," that made her feel batter, "we will get to you. Stay strong." The line went dead as Cas hung up, severing her only line to the outside._

 _Kris felt her eyes stinging and figured it would be alright to let a few out. She flip the switch to silence her phone, then huddled in the back of the room. She kept the lights off, but knew as soon as this Dean noticed the doors locked, he would know where she was._

 _Please, please hurry, she thought to herself, not trusting any noise not to give her position away. She clutched her phone like a life line._

 _In the pitch black, Kris wasn't sure how long she huddled there. The only light, too weak to aide Kris in seeing much, came from the edges of the bared door. She hadn't shut them off on the other side because they had been on when she came in._

 _Her legs were starting to cramp, and she thought about stretching them out, but was anxious the scrapping would alert Dean to her location. A little bit later she figured she better chance it or her legs would go to sleep, then she would be in real trouble if she needed to run. Moving a fraction of an inch at a time, she slide her legs out from under her, but every move made sound that Kris was sure Dean could hear._

 _Some time later her phone vibrated; she jumped but answered it without saying anything, "Kris it's Sam. Can you talk?"_

 _She nodded and whispered into the phone, but her voice just seemed too loud in all the silence. "Yea."_

" _Are you still in the dungeon?" He was starting to whisper as well._

" _Yea. Sam what do I do?" Her fear was creeping into her voice._

" _Stay there. Cas and I are on our way, but…" his voice faded and for one horrifying moment Kris thought she had lost him. "Kris, honey I am still forty-eight hours out, Cas is even further. Even if we speed."_

 _The weight of his words hit her, 'Two Days!' she thought. 'how am I going to stay hidden for two days.'_

" _Look I think he just wants some of the research we have there. He couldn't have any idea you would be there. Just stay hidden, don't draw attention to yourself."_

" _Sam," she whispered, knowing what he thought would no longer be true. "His only words to me have been, 'This is going to be fun.'" She shook her head, "I don't think he's just going to take what he wants and leave, not now." The anxiety was starting to build in Kris's chest. There were only two ways this could end. Stay hidden for two days, or be found. Either way this was about to be the longest two days of Kris's life._

 _Her phone buzzed, and Kris looked at the screen in horror, "Sam, there is only 8% battery, it's about to die." She was petrified, her only life line was about to crap out on her._

" _Kris," Sam was saying, "don't panic. Stay Calm, we are coming. I swear, we will get to you, you are going to be alright."_

 _Kris wasn't listening, she had seen a shadow move at the doors. Her breath hitched, "He's outside the door," she whispered into the dying phone._

" _Shhh." That voice didn't come from the phone. It was from the other side of the door._

" _Sam," there was no response. She looked at the phone and there was nothing there, no light, nothing. It was dead. Her one connection to her father was gone._

" _You tell Sammy, I'll take good care of you." The voice was a little more then a whisper._

" _Daddy," Kris whispered into the dead phone as she closed her eyes._

 _There was no sound, Kris figured her senses shut down to protect her, just a gust of air pushing her back into the wall she was already resting against. A cry caught in her throat but she held it back._

" _So," Dean's voice drifted over her and her skin started to crawl. "Since Sammy isn't here," there was a pause, but Kris kept her eyes closed tight. His voice came closer and Kris tried to push herself further into the un-moving wall. "Oh come on," Dean was saying, his voice now right in front of her. "If you keep me talking who knows," his hand touched her knee and Kris fought like hell not to jump. "We might never get to the fun parts."_

' _Two days," Kris thought to herself, there was no way she could keep this malicious man talking for the next forty-eight hours. She did slowly open her eyes. He was kneeling in front of her, his dead green eyes never leaving her face._

" _There we go," he said rocking back on his heels. "So, what should we talk about?" It was like he was trying to be nice but the facade didn't fit him._

" _What do you want," Kris whispered._

 _Dean shook his head, "Naw. That won't last long enough. Oh, how about we talk about you." He patted her leg and this time she didn't fight to stay still. She moved her leg as far out of his reach as she could. "Now, now," he said grabbing her ankle and pulling it back to him. "Behave, or I might get board with this." He stood up and gestured for her to do the same._

 _She tried to will her body to move, to keep him distracted, but it wouldn't listen. She was too terrified of this man. Her body screamed at her to stay put._

" _If you would rather get to the fun stuff," he said reaching for her again._

" _I'm trying," she whimpered. "You're scaring me."_

 _Dean stopped his movement, "Honest. Not many would admit they're afraid."_

 _Kris took a breath, trying to get her body to follow her instructions, "I'm not most people." She was able to get her feet under her and was pushing herself up when Dean grabbed her upper arm and pulled her the rest of the way up. Knowing he could have done worse, she didn't pull away from him, but his grip on her bare arm actually burned a little. Like having dry ice held to her arm._

" _There," he said dropping her arm. She tried to rub warmth back into it. "So lets start with a name." He pointed to her._

" _It's Kris," she said softly. Her whole body was shaking as she stood there._

 _He waved his hand, encouraging her to go on, as he sat on the edge of the table across from her._

" _Kris Richardson."_

 _He applauded her, "Ah, now we are getting somewhere. What are you doing here? Pretty sure Sam didn't hire a maid."_

 _She shook her head, "No. My… my mom sent me here."_

 _Dean's eyebrow's raised, "Your mother?"_

 _Kris knew where he was going with that, "She's dead." There was no way she was going to tell this psycho Sam was her father. "She died in a car crash and my dad died in the war."_

" _A military man." It was a comment not a question but Kris still nodded her head. "How long ago?"_

 _These were simple enough questions and if he really wanted to know, "My dad died four years ago, and my mom five months."_

" _Which hunt did they meet us on?"_

 _There was just no way Kris could warm up her arms, so she just crossed them and glared at Dean. "I don't know." She didn't see his hand coming, just stars jumping into her vision. Her cheek hurt like hell, starting on her cheek bone and radiating across her whole face. She probably would have gone down but Dean's hands was gripping her upper arm, keeping her upright._

 _He gave her a hard shake and her teeth clacked in her head, "How did they meet?" His voice didn't sound angry, just annoyed._

" _I don't know," she cried out, trying to get her eyes to focus. "My mom never told me and Sam refuses to talk about it."_

 _Dean shoved her into the wall and she sank to the ground, holding the left side of her face, whimpering. "I guess we get to the fun stuff," Dean said heading back towards the door._

" _Please," she whispered. "I'm telling you the truth. I really don't know."_

 _Dean closed the door and walked back towards her, "Oh I know you are. But you see, I'm getting board." He shrugged his shoulders as he crossed the room to stand in front of her again. "When I get board Kris, I find ways to entertain myself." He grabbed her left upper arm and jerked her up so hard, Kris felt her shoulder pop._

 _The cry that ripped out of her throat couldn't be help, her dislocated shoulder sent waves of fire down her arm and up the left side of her face. The scream seemed to shock Dean because he dropped her arm and Kris immediately grabbed it and sank back to the floor. The pain in her shoulder, arm and face was blinding, but Kris didn't try and hold back the screams this time._

 _Dean stood back, a small smile on his face and Kris writhed on the floor, holding her arm. He seemed to be enjoying watching her in pain._

 _What felt like forever and the pain started to dull. It didn't fade, or move but Kris seemed to be able to think around it. Her screams faded to small whimpers. "Well, " Dean said, "that was entertaining." The son of a bitch was having fun watching her hurt._

 _Kris couldn't move her arm without pain, so she just sat on the floor holding her left arm. Two days, she thought, two very long days…_

"I spent nearly forty-eight hours with Dean, alone." Kris told Gadreel as she finished off the ice cream. She snickered, "Your angel buddy, Ilium, could learn a few things from him."

The look on Gadreel's face was murderous. "Ilium is no buddy of mine."

Kris smiled, letting the memories of those two days fade into the back of her mind. "I know that, but he still could have learned a few things." She leaned across the island counter towards him. "You see Dean, he never let me loose consciousness, I was awake the whole forty-eight hours. Ilium, on the other hand didn't care if I passed out. I was able to take 'breaks' with him." Kris got up and dumped the empty ice cream container in the trash. "While I spent more time with Ilium, it's the time with Dean that was by far worse." She sat back down.

"For months after that I woke with nightmares," she looked down at her hands. "I mean bad nightmares. Castiel and Sam wanted to wipe my memories of those two days."

Kris watched as Gadreel's larger hand covered hers, "You wouldn't let them, would you?" She shook her head. "Why not?" He was beyond curious, he had spent eons of his existence in heavens jail and he despised those memories. She had spent a total of six days being tortured and she was protecting those memories.

Kris looked up and into Gadreel's eyes, dreading what she might see in them. "What has happened to me, has made me who I am. I looked true darkness in the face, I spent time in it's presence, it tried to break me and failed. I needed to remember that." She chuckled a little, "Turns out it was a good thing too, with what Ilium did, who knows what that would have done to my head. As it stands it looks like what he did has messed with what Castiel did."

"What did Castiel do to you to make the nightmares leave?"

"I wouldn't let Cas erase the memories of what happened. So he severed the emotional connections to them. I can look back on those two days and it's was like watching a video of it happening to someone else, but I knew it wasn't me. After that the nightmares were gone. Well until now, that is."

Gadreel nodded, "Is that what you want me to do to you? Remove the emotional connection from what Ilium did to you?"

Kris shrugged, "It worked before."

"And the reason you do not want me to tell Sam about this?"

Kris thought about how to word this, "I don't want Sam to know what Dean did. He doesn't need those idea's in his head."

There was a moment of silence, Gadreel knew there was more to this. There was something Kris wasn't telling him. Something that would tell him why she really cared about what Sam thought about his brother. Something that would make the reason she seemed so familiar to him make sense. But she wasn't telling him right now.

The silence lengthened, making Kris think he was going to tell her no. "Alright Kris. I'll do it."


	17. Chapter 17

**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**

 _ **Chapter 17**_

 _ **The Soul Moves On**_

Relief flooded Kris's body. It would be nice to have a good nights sleep, she thought. "So can we do it now?"

Gadreel nodded and held up a single finger, "I do not see why not."

Kris shook her head, if only everything could be that easy, she thought as she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch.

Gadreel's finger was cool to the touch and she waited for something to happen. A zing of electricity, a small pulse or even a small shock like when Castiel had done this, but nothing happened.

Kris opened her eyes, but didn't move away from Gadreel's touch. His eyes were closed and his face had a look of deep concentration on it. She waited a few more moments, but still nothing happened. "Umm… Gadreel? I think you're doing something wrong. Nothings happening."

Gadreel still kept his eyes close. "Shh," he whispered.

' _Did he really just shush,_ ' she thought. Still Kris didn't move. They sat that way for a few more minutes, Kris was getting fidgety. "Are you done…" a jolt of electricity shot through her head. She yelped and jerked away from Gadreel's touch. "What the hell!" Kris yelled rubbing where he had made contact with her.

"Sorry," Gadreel said sheepishly, but his eyes were full of curiosity, "I had never done that before." There was an awkward pause, "Kris is there something about yourself that you are not telling me?"

Kris rubbed her forehead not really paying attention, "Like what?"

"When I tried to heal you, when you were stabbed, there was something familiar about your genetics. I recognized it, as if I had tried to heal you before."

Kris ignored the pain in the middle of her head. "But you hadn't, that was the first time."

Gadreel kept looking at Kris and she stared back at him. "I think I know why your genetics seem so familiar."

Kris shook her head, the pain completely forgotten, "Gadreel, don't," she hissed in warning to him. "It's not something we need to get into."

"But is it true? Are you Sam's…"

Kris slammed her hands on the table and stood up, "DON'T!" He leaned back in his chair, but didn't say anything, just folded his arms across his chest. "Just… just don't," she sat back down, refusing to meet his gaze.

After a long and uncomfortable silence, during which Kris refused to look up from her hands, she spoke up, her gaze locked on Gadreel. If he knew the truth about who she really was then she needed to face that fact, and make sure he never tells Sam. "He can't EVER, know."

Leaning forward Gadreel meet her eyes, "You do not think Sam deserves to know he has a child?"

Kris shook her head, "It's not about that."

"Then what is it?"

"I came back here with the intent to do what ever it took to protect him and Castiel." She paused and took a deep breath, "You've been inside Sam's head, so you know what he'll do for family and I can't risk that."

Kris didn't wait for a response before continuing, "I don't know about this Sam, but my Sam, he would do what ever it took to protect family. That's the Sam I know."

The silence lengthened, until Gadreel spoke. "I can not promise to never tell Sam the truth. But as long as that truth does not hurt him, and he does not ask me directly, I will not be the one to tell him."

Kris wanted to grin but fought it, "How about I make us breakfast?" She looked at her watch as she stood up, it was six in the morning.

"That is a considerate idea Kris, but I do not eat."

"I do," came Sam's voice, followed by his figure coming around. Kris froze.

For a brief terrifying moment Kris was sure Sam had heard their conversation. "What would you like," came out dry and cracked.

"I'll take a cup of coffee. What are you two… well you," he pointed to Kris, "doing up this early?"

Kris tried to play it off, "I couldn't sleep, so Gadreel's been keeping me company. What about you?"

Sam shrugged his shoulders, "I'm use to getting up this early."

Relaxing as she got started on their breakfast, she realized Sam was still in the dark, and if she had a choice that is where he would stay.

Over the next few months Kris fell into an interesting routine. Wake up, research, hunt, eat, and sleep. She was more then happy to finally be getting a decent night sleep again, the nightmares were gone again. Sam kept up his search for Dean, following any and all signs of cattle mutilation, crop failure, and electrical storms. If there was as chance Dean or Crowley would be there, Sam was there as well. Kris didn't realize how bad it was till she went with him on one of his leads.

"Hell No!" she hissed at him, as they stood outside a dingy looking pub. Sam had just told her his latest idea for tracking down Dean and Crowley. "We are NOT going into a bar to look for someone to make a deal with a cross-roads demon!"

"Do you have a better idea?" Sam growled back at her. "We've tried calling his phone, he won't answer. We've tried summoning Crowley, he won't answer. We've even tried following demonic signs and got nothing." His eyes looked back to the pub and Kris thought he was trying to avoid her eyes. "We have got nothing."

"Sam, we still have time. Kevin is at Garth's with the angel tablet to find more information on the Mark. We know that when we find Dean, we'll be able to cure him. So why are you in such a hurry?"

"Why?!" He asked, finally looked her in the eyes. "The King of Hell managed to trick my brother into becoming his little lap dog, who knows what they are doing, who Dean could be hurting. When we do cure him, Dean will beat himself up over everyone he hurt while he wasn't himself. I'm in a hurry to try and keep that guilt as low as possible."

Kris sighed and shook her head, "And you're willing to sacrifice a human soul for that?"

"Oh come on Kris," turning his back on her and facing the run down bar. "It's not like I'm going to let them actually make the deal. I just need them to summon the demon." Sam turned back to face Kris, "Do you have a better idea?"

She hated to admit it but Sam was right, she didn't have a better idea how to find Dean. One of the many things her father never really liked talking about, alright the only thing, anything to do with Dean. She sighed, "No, I don't." She gestured to the door, "Lead the way."

The pub wasn't very crowded, but Kris still had to elbow her way to the pool table, while Sam took a seat at the bar. 'This is a really bad idea,' she thought to herself as she racked the balls. But Sam was right, she didn't have an idea, never mind a better one.

It didn't take long for Sam to start up a conversation with a depressed looking man. "We haven't had sex for four months. Four. Well, not that—not that she hasn't been having plenty…" Kris just rolled her eyes, what a whinny little bitch, she thought, listening to the man tell Sam his sob story.

Kris noticed Sam glance her way for a moment and she straightened up from the pool table. "It is possible that you can have your revenge," he was saying to the man. He was really going through with this, Kris held the pool stick tighter, the game forgotten. "I mean, hell, it's possible you can have pretty much anything you want." She looked away from them, set the pool stick down and walked out of the bar. There was no way on this green earth she was going to watch this.

Parking her ass on the hood of the green 55 Bel Air she had claimed as her own, Kris waited for Sam and the man to leave. The plan was, after finding a mark, Sam would take them to a crossroad and get them to summon a demon so Sam and she could trap the bastards. "This is still a rotten idea," she said out loud.

A few moments later Sam walked out of the bar with the man following close behind him. "This is Lester," Sam said jerking his head behind him. "He wants to make a deal."

Kris just nodded and gestured to her car as she slide off the hood, but Lester shook his head. "I'll take my own car, if you don't mind." Kris just shrugged and got into her car. She started it up as Sam slide into the passenger side.

"He'll follow us."

Neither said a word as Kris drove the short distance. She and Sam had chosen this particular crossroads because it had perfect coverage a stones throw away. Kris had wanted to keep looking but Sam had over ruled her. He believed the distance was close enough to stop the deal, but far enough the demon wouldn't see them coming.

Once there, Kris got out of the car as Lester pulled up behind her. She ignored him and leaned against the door jam. "Sam," she hissed at him as he pulled a box out of the car, "it's not too late to change our minds. We can think of something else."

Sam just shook his head and held out the box to Lester. "Put your drivers license in here and well get this done."

There was no way she could talk Sam out of this horrible idea, so she stepped away from her car and headed further down the road, towards some bushes. "I still think this is a really bad idea," she mumbled to herself as Sam dug a hole.

"Alright," Sam was telling Lester as he handed him the paper Kris had written the summoning on. "Stand right here, when I say so read the words off the paper."

Kris watched as Sam trotted over to her, but didn't say a word to her as he turned back to Lester. "Alright, go ahead."

"Okay, um…demon esto subiectus voluntari…"

"Tati!" Kris shouted, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "It's pronounced Voluntati!

"Oh sorry. Demon esto subiectus voluntati."

Kris just glared at Sam's back, "Really?"

He turned to her and just shrugged, "Not everyone can read Latin you know."

"Who summons me and for what purpose?"

Kris jerked her head up, "Shit, Sam!"

Sam whipped his head around and saw Lester with his back to then talking to a dark-haired woman with red eyes. "Shit."

"Lester!" Kris shouted, coming out from behind the bushes. "STOP!"

"Kill my wife, and my soul is yours."

Kris could see it all in slow motion. Sam running towards the two of them, the demon pulling Lester in and kissing him sealing the deal. Her heart sank, "NO!"

 **I-I-I-I**

Kris waited in her car while Sam interrogated the demon. Lester had left their company with a grin. He had no idea what he was in for. He had sold his soul to have his wife killed, and Kris had not stopped it from happening. She should have kept her mouth shut and not distracted Sam, he would have seen the demon in time and could have manage to get to them before Lester sealed the deal. She had royally screwed the pooch on this one.

She leaned her head against the head rest. "God damn it," she mumbled, feeling the sting in her eyes. "I am not going to cry for that bastard." Her little pep talk wasn't working and she quickly wiped the moisture from her eyes when she heard the passenger door open.

It was Sam and his hands were covered in blood, that he was wiping on a towel. She waited patiently from him to finish. "So," she asked. "Please tell me you got something out of that."

There was a pause, then Sam shook his head. "She said Crowley is off the radar." He tossed the used towel into her back seat, "Damn it!"

Kris jumped a little but didn't say anything. They sat in silence fro a moment longer before Sam spoke again, "Let's head back to the bunker, maybe there's something we missed."

Without another word Kris started up the car and drove off.


	18. Chapter 18

**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**

 _ **Chapter 18**_

 _ **No Good Deed**_

"Sam!" Kris yelled out. She was sitting in the War Room with her laptop open, looking into crop failures, when a news alert popped up on her screen. She had created a program to scan news articles from anything odd and it looked like it had paid off. "SAM!" she yelled again.

"What?" Sam asked entering the room. His hair was disheveled and it looked like he hadn't sleep in a few days, or at least since the Lester fiscal. "What is it?"

"Alright, so get this. I created a computer program to scan news articles for any odd deaths or weird disappearances, anything along those lines and this pops up. , After killing his wife and all three kids, Drew Nealy goes missing for three years only to turn up murdered in Wisconsin three days ago."

Sam looked at her confused, "So?"

Kris waved her hands, "I know, I know. Nothing odd about that. But I hacked into the police report and it turns out he was killed after attacking a man in a convenient store." She held up her hand when she notice Sam about to question her again, "Hold on. So I hacked into the store feed and this is what came up." She clicked the video link and a grainy video of Dean reading porn magazine appeared. "Now I had to go in through the back door, and the files were pretty corrupted, but hey I am damn good." A few more key strokes and a much clearer image came into view.

Dean was standing at a magazine rack. "Nice to know some things never change," Kris commented when she notice the magazine was Busty Asian Beauties. Drew Nealy came into frame and jumped Dean from behind, a small scuffle and Drew is killed by the First Blade. Stopping the video, Kris points to Drew, "He's possessed."

"How could you tell," Sam asked looking closer. "I don't see any black eyes."

"His face is distorted the same way Deans is."

"You can see that even on a video?"

Kris didn't look at Sam, just kept her eyes on the screen, "Apparently. There's a lot about this new ability we don't understand. Moving on." She flipped off the video, "We have our first lead in, well, in ever. I think we should head out to Wisconsin and see where the trail leads."

Sam nodded, "You're right, we have no other leads and this is the best we've got."

 **I-I-I-I**

Kris adjusted the jacket of the suit she was wearing. She hated wearing the suits, they always made her feel fake. Granted she was, but didn't mean she had to like the feeling.

Mickey, the attendant on duty, was right in the middle of telling Sam what had happened. " Oh, yeah. Porn guy was an animal. Bro came at him like, 'what?!' and he was all like, 'Wh-a-a-at?' And there was a lot of blood."

"Right. Um...When the guy, uh - when - "Porn guy" came in, did he...say anything?"

Mickey was giving Sam a blank look, "'Where's the porn.'"

Sam fixed his gaze on Mickey, Kris knew that look. It was the 'Are-You-Fucking-Kidding-Me' look. She had seen her dad give that look to Castiel on more then one occasion. "So some guy comes in, kills another guy in your store, on your watch, and you just - you what? Just keep on keepin' on?

The color drained from Mickey's face, "You mean when porn guy was stabbing the other guy to death 10 feet in front of me, and I was having a total code-brown moment in my favorite fucking pants because I thought I was next. No, it never occurred to me to conduct a field interview."

Kris stepped in before Sam could say anything else, "We know how hard this is for you. My partner is just trying to be thorough." She put her hand gently on his for arm and tried to make her voice sympathetic, "Is there anything else you can think of? Maybe what direction Porn Guy took off in or what kind of car?"

Mickey started to shake his head, then stopped, his eyes lighting up. "Oh but ere, before I forget." He reached behind the counter and pulled out a cell phone, "Found this wedged under the toilet paper roll in the bathroom, I think it's the dead guy's phone."

Kris smiled, took the phone and nodded her thanks. As the two of them walked out of the Gas-N-Sip she tossed the phone to Sam. "If that belonged to Drew maybe there is something useful on it."

Sam fiddled with the phone for a bit before huffing, "Well there is a text message on here saying where Dean will be." He handed the phone to Kris who read the message out loud.

"'Winchester. Amherst Junction, WI Gas n' Sip B/W 11a-12p. Long live Abaddon' So Abaddon supporters are after Dean. Do you think they realize how much more dangerous he is now." she asked as she handed the phone back to Sam.

"If they didn't, I'm willing to bet they do now." He connected the phone to his own and dialed the texts number.

Kris leaned against Sam's car while they waited. She could tell the moment the other line answered, Sam entire face tensed up.

"Nope, just using a dead man's phone, Crowley," Sam said his tone icy and venomous.

Kris's eyes went huge, Crowley was the one sending demons to kill Dean? 'What the hell,' Kris mouthed. But Sam just held up his hand.

"And the um Abaddon supporters you've been sending after my brother, how does Dean feel about that double-cross?"

While Crowley was talking Sam put him on speaker phone. …"more out of your depths than I thought. You know what tickles me about all this? It's what's really eating you up. You don't care that he's a demon. Hell, you've been a demon. We've all been demons. No, it's that he's with me and he's having the time of his life. You can't stand the fact that he's mine."

"Dean isn't your pet you son of a bitch," Kris chirped in, unable to help herself. She just really wished she could rip out his throat right now.

"Future Girl, how nice to hear your voice." He actually sounded happy to hear her. "You're right, he isn't a pet, he's my best friend, my partner in crime. They'll write songs about us, graphic novels. 'The Misadventures of Growley and Squirrel.' Dean Winchester completes me, and that's what makes you both lose your chickens."

Kris could see Sam's jaw clench, "We are going to find you, we are going to save my brother, and then I am going to kill you… dead, Crowley"

The sound of Crowley chuckling made Kris's stomach tighten, "Well that is the operative phrase, isn't it, 'Find you,' Good luck with that"

There was an sharp click, and Kris looked at Sam's phone grinning, "We got him. The Black Spur in North Dakota." Sam was nice enough to return the grin.

They were just outside Alexandria Minnesota, Sam driving while Kris was trying to catch up on some sleep, when the car just up and died. "Are you kidding me?" Sam asked, trying to restart the car, but only succeeded in getting a clicking noise.

"It is an old car," Kris said half-heartedly as she un-did her seat belt. She was just glad it wasn't her car. "I'll take a look, you stay here."

"Why should I sta..." Kris responded my flapping her right arm and Sam just slouched back into the seat.

Kris popped the hood, but couldn't see anything out of place, when a set of headlights appeared at the back. Someone got out of that car but with the lights shinning directly in her eyes she couldn't see who.

"Hey. Need some help?" The lights dimmed and the man stepped into view. He was about 5 foot 9, tan cargo pants, with a black T-shirt and jacket to match. His brown hair was cut military style.

"Yea," Kris said as Sam got out of the car too. "She just up and quit on us."

The man nodded to Sam, "Out here in the middle of nowhere."

"Yea." Sam responded, as the two of them moved towards the front.

"She must really have it in for ya," he joked. Kris smiled. He seemed like a nice guy, and in her line of work there weren't many. He motioned to the engine, "May I?"

She nodded and stepped to the side, leaning against the car. "Sure. Thank you."

The man looked into the engine, "These new cars and their computerized brains, huh? One zero out of place, and the whole thing just goes kaput. Well, right there," he pointed to a little black box attached to the side of the battery. "There's your problem."

Kris leaned in, as did Sam. "What the hell is that?" Kris asked, trying to get a better look at it.

"Well that there is a kill switch. This here is the remote." Kris looked at the man's left hand holding a remote looking thing, missing the gun in his right. Before she could move he had swung his right towards Sam, knocking him out, and had the gun pointed at her. "I'm guessing he was a rightie."

 **I-I-I-I**

Kris gazed around the run down barn. Her hands were tied behind her back and around a beam. This left her in a seated position, but her hands were starting to go numb. The man walked Sam in with a bag over his head and had him sit in a chair. He had zip-ties his hands in front on account of Sam's busted shoulder, but zipped tied his legs to the chair itself.

After knocking Sam out he had stated he didn't like the idea a hitting a girl and given that she would never leave her father, she had promised not to do anything stupid. He had tied her up and helped her, very politely, into the passenger side of his car, and then gone back for Sam. She had, lets just say very vocally, objected to him putting Sam in the trunk but had ignored her. Once he was back in the car he took off, ignoring all her questions, save one.

"The names Cole," he had relied without looking at her. That was all he said the entire 20 minute car ride to this abandoned barn.

Once Cole had Sam secured he took off the bag. He blinked in the sudden light, even though it wasn't all that bright and Kris could see his nose was bloody. His eyes quickly found her and for a moment relief flooded them.

"Alrighty, home sweet home. You good." Cole actually sounded like he cared. "How's that chicken wing?" He lightly tapped Sam's shoulder, but it was Kris who flinched.

Sam jerked his head up, "Who are you?"

"Well now," Cole said standing up straight, 'right to the point. Cole Trenton, you're Sam Winchester, I think we can all agree on that." He moved to Kris, who pulled her legs to her chest. "But you," he knelt in front of her, placing his hand on the beam right above her head for support, "I haven't the slightest clue who the hell you are." He turned to Sam, "She your girlfriend, kind of a Bonnie and Clyde complex going on here?"

Kris snorted before Sam could say anything, 'umm eww,' she thought. "No, I'm not. Sam's a friend of my mother's. Been looking after me since she died."

Cole stood up and left her, "I am sorry to hear that." He returned his focus to Sam, "See she promised to be good, but I figured she just didn't want to see you get hurt."

"Then let her go," Sam suggested and quickly Kris shook her head, but Cole wasn't watching her. "You and I can talk, she doesn't have to be a part of this."

Turning back to her, Cole smirked, "Something tells me she wouldn't go peacefully. Would you?"

"Hell fucking no," Kris replied, looking directly into Cole's eyes.

He jerked his head back to Sam, "Even if he told you to." she just shook her head.

"Alright then," Cole moved to set up a small wooden table beside Sam as he pulled out Sam's phone. "See, I'm looking for your brother, Dean. He and I go way back."

"You're a hunter?" Kris asked in disbelief. Surely no hunter would be stupid enough to kidnap a Winchester.

"Sure, we can go with that. Hunting his brother counts."

It was Sam's turn to snicker, "Trust me. Look, buddy, I don't what my brother did, but if you got any sense, I suggest you turn tail and run back to that army recruiting ad that spit you out in the first place. He's a monster."

Cole starts going through Sam's phone, "Well, he was. Many, many moons ago. But now he's prey. And I'm the monster now." He seems to find what he's looking for and taps the screen before putting it up to his ear.

Kris starts trying to work the ropes looser, but her left hand is completely numb, so she isn't sure she's making any progress what so ever. After a few moment a grin appears on Cole's face.

"Well, hell, I just may take you up on that." It clicks for Kris and by the look of distress, so does Sam. He was calling Dean.

"Me? Well, I'm karma, brother." A short pause, "On your brother's phone." Cole shakes his head, "No. Not yet. He and your little friend are still both breathing and as long as you show up where I tell, they'll stay that way." Another pause and then Cole holds the phone out to Sam, "Speak."

Sam refuses, just looks at the phone. So Cole punches him in the face causing his head to snap back.

"SAM!" Kris yelled, hoping that would be enough

Cole gets back on the phone, "There, proof of life. Got a pen."

What ever Dean says next has Cole clenching his jaw, "Well, that'll be a cold comfort to your dead brother and your little friend."

Kris's heart sank. Who was she kidding, she knew demon Dean wouldn't come to Sam's rescue, not this time.

"Yea, well, I'll be sure to pass that on to them as I am slitting their throats."

Again that sick feeling was back.

Cole tossed the phone at the wall. "I take it he hung up on you?" Kris asked cheekily. She was trying to hide the panic in her voice and was really surprised at how well it seemed to work.

"Good thing one of you know where he is." Again Kris's stomach flip-flopped. This was not going to be good.


	19. Chapter 19

**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**

 _ **Chapter 19**_

 _ **I'm a Winchester, of Course I'm Not Alrigth**_

Kris kept her head down, hair in her face, and eyes shut tight, but she couldn't block out the sound of fists landing on soft flesh, or the grunts of pain that came from her father. With every hit her body tensed up and she pulled against the ropes holding her hands behind her.

Cole had said his beef wasn't with her, which surprised her. She was sure he would use her to get Sam to tell him where Dean was or try and pry the information out of her. Kris found she would rather Cole beat on her then her father. Hell she had been though worse and at least this was just a man, not some psychotic angel or Darkness possessed Dean. Cole was just a man trying to avenge the death of his father, she could relate.

"Where's Dean, Sam?" Sam didn't respond and Kris heard Cole's fist land and her arms jerked with it. "WHERE IS HE!"

Kris could feel her whole body shaking and was pretty damn sure her wrist looked like cottage cheese. Both her hands had gone numb, so the straining didn't actually hurt, but she didn't know how much more she could take listening to her father get the shit beat out of him.

"Now, you know your brother gave me the green light to put one between your eyes," he paused. "Both of you." Kris raised her head and could see Cole standing in front of a very bloody Sam. "He gave the both of you up, there's no reason to protect him. So help me out here. Tell me where he is and I'll let the both of you go."

"Dean's family," Kris said without thinking and she quickly back peddled. "He's all the family Sam's got." She tossed her hair out of her face and glared at Cole, not with hate but with pity. "You protect family, no matter what they do."

Cole left Sam and knelt down to Kris, brushing the rest of her hair out of her face, "Well Sammy's family just sold him out. Family don't do that little girl."

"Dean isn't exactly Dean right now," Kris told him. She was trying to buy Sam a little bit of a break by keeping Cole focused on her for a moment. "I'm sorry about your dad. Whatever happened… I know Dean had his reasons. There are real monsters out there."

Cole got back on his feet, "You don't think I know that? I did two tours in Iraq. Special Ops, Darfur...The Congo. I've seen suicide bombers and child soldiers so hopped up on speed that they could barely talk! Oh, but they could sure as hell shoot an A.K."

Sam spit out some blood, "Not that kind of monster."

"Don't tell me about monsters." Cole moved to stand in front of Sam again, 'Cause I've met my fair share."

"We means real monsters," Kris said trying to regain Cole's attention. "Ghosts, vampires, werewolves, demons, they're all real." She jerked her head towards the bag Cole had brought with them from Sam's car. "Look in the bag, it's all there."

Surprised a bit when Cole actually moved to grab the duffle bag, Kris waited for him to open it. He dug through what Kris knew to be an arsenal of supernatural weapons, but he just pulled out the flask of holy water. "I guess even psychos need to hydrate."

Kris rolled her eyes, "Its holy water."

Cole gave her a mock shock, "Holy Cow," and tossed the flask back into the bag.

"Look," Sam said, trying to reason with him, "we are not psycho, and we are not lying."

Cole shoved the bag off the table, "Well now you see, that is exactly what psycho liars would say, so... See my dilemma?" Reaching into his own bag, Cole pulled out a ball peen hammer, "I guess it's time to crank up the volume." He tapped it gently against Sam's left knee. Kris can see Sam shaking in pain but doesn't say a thing. "Yea right there."

Kris pulled against the ropes holding her hands back, causing them to cut deeper into her wrist. She closed her eyes again.

The sound of a cell phone made her eyes snap open. "Telephone!" she shouted. "You might wanna get that."

Cole paused right in the middle of his swing, "Well ain't you a lucky boy." He set the hammer down, reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

Kris let out a breath of relief, as Cole made his way out of the barn talking on the phone, "No, I'm good. No, everything's fine. Everything's just fine." Cole closes the barn door.

Kris pulled harder against the ropes when she heard a soft thud. She snapped her head towards Sam and saw him still tied to a now tipped over chair. He noticed her watching him with a confused look and just shook his head at her. He didn't want her to say a thing, so she nodded back and continued watching the bar door. Before she realized it, he was beside her cutting her hands free with a pocket knife attached to what she assumes are Cole's keys. Maybe fifteen seconds have past since Cole walked out of the barn.

Sam helped her up, ignoring the lacerations on her wrists. "Grab the bag and let's get the hell out of here."

She just nodded, slid said bag over her shoulder and they headed out the back of the barn. All in all a total of thirty seconds has passed since Cole walked out of the barn.

Neither of them said much and after about twenty minutes of trying her best to keep up with him, Kris had to stop. "Sam wait up a minute." She dropped the bad and leaned against a nearby tree. "I need a quick break."

Sam stopped moving forward and walked back towards her, but doesn't stop. He picked the bag up with his left arm and started walking off again. "We don't have time." Kris sighed, pushed herself off the tree and had to jog to keep up with him. "We need to find a phone or something and let Cas know what's going on."

Kris pulled out her cell phone out of her back pocket and gently grabbed his arm to make him stop, "Cole didn't even look for it." She handed it over, "Can we stop now?"

Sam just smiled slightly, but at least nodded his head. With a huff, Kris flopped to the ground. While Sam made the call, Kris took a better look at her wrists. They were worse off then she thought. The feeling had returned to them as they fled, but that just made them hurt more. There were angry welts that had gone beyond being rubbed raw. The entire area going all the way around her wrist was red and would be turning fifty shades of purple soon. Luckily the blood had dried while they ran, but the crust over the top would be a bitch to clean off when she got a chance.

While Sam was on the phone with Cas, Kris took the opportunity to become more aware of her surroundings. They were still in the woods but she could make out a packed dirt road off to the left, and an abandoned house off to the right, with a truck sitting in front of it. "Perfect," she whispered and dragged her ass off the ground.

Sam seemed to have see the same thing, because after he handed her phone back to her he nodded to the house, "I think I can hot wire that truck. We'll head towards Beulah, but.." He stopped walking and turned to face Kris. "Kris I don't want you anywhere near this."

"Wait what?" Shock crossed her face, and she folded her arms in front of her. "Why the hell not?"

"Like you said to Cole, Dean isn't Dean." It was like in front of that dingy pub, he refused to look at her. "I don't want you to see him like this."

Kris was flabbergasted. ' _See him like this?_ ' she thought. "Sam, I am not leaving you to face your demon brother on your own. You'll need help."

"You weren't with me the first time around, were you? Besides," he gripped her shoulder and finally looked her straight in the eyes, "I need you to head back to the Bunker and get everything ready for when I bring Dean back."

She knew this look. Her dad had use this look loads of times on her. It was the Stop-Arguing-And-Do-What-I-Tell-You look and when this happened the debate was over. For Kris it was like Sam was pulling the 'Dad Card' without even knowing it. Plus it wasn't like she could tell Sam she had seen Dean one hundred times worse then this.

"Fine! Fine. But for the record, I don't like this idea of you going alone."

Sam lead her to the truck, hot wired it and Kris was more then surprised it actually started. They drove in silence, Kris still fuming about Sam sending her home. Once outside of Fargo, Sam dropped her off, "Just follow I-29 south to ..."

"Kansas City and I can find my way after that," Kris interrupted him. "I do know how to navigate." She slid out of the passenger seat and noticed they were right outside a couple of crappy apartments. Finding a car would be easy. "Again I am going to say I don't like this."

"I'll shoot you a text once I have him," was all he said before she shut the door. He drove off without another word.

"I still don't like it," she mumbled, hoisting the small pack onto her shoulder. On the drive they had stop by a drug store and Kris had bandaged up her wrists. They were stung pretty bad and were starting to throb, but she shoved that into the back of her mind. She would deal with that later.

It didn't take her long to find a black '91 Honda Accord with it's keys still in the car. "At least something has gone right for me," she mumbled as she found another car a few blocks down she could switch out the license plates for. It would take longer for the cops to track her this way. Kids took car plates as a prank all the time, cops rarely took those complaints seriously.

She was just coming up on Rock Port and was genuinely considering stopping to rest when Gadreel appeared in the passenger seat, nearly giving her a heart attack.

She slammed on the breaks, "SHIT!" The car slid to a stop and after catching her breath, she rounded on him. "What the hell Gadreel? You trying to get me killed!"

He looked at her confused, "Of course not. I do not wish harm on you."

Sighing as she maneuvered the car out of the middle of the road, "How the hell were you able to get here? I thought your wings were ruined."

A small grin lit up his face. "Your idea to have Prophet Tran fix the angel tablet was a good one. He was able to help a lot of angels heal their wings with it. Granted they are only good for short distances, but at least most of us can fly again."

She glanced at his back wondering if she could seem them now that they were healed, but couldn't. His halo however was as bright as ever, in fact it seemed to be brighter then the last time she had seen in. A soft goose grey light actually filled the car from it. "So what's up?"

"The sky is up," Gadreel said without missing a beat.

Kris just laughed, "I meant why are you here?"

"Oh yes. I needed to talk to you about Castiel's grace."

After him scaring the crap out of her, Kris was wide awake now, "What about it?"

"It is burning out. I fear he does not have long."

It took Kris a moment to realize what Gadreel was saying, "Why would his grace be burning…" DING, DING, DING! And the stupid award goes to Kris Tina Richardson!

"It's not his." Kris sighed, rolling her eyes at her own stupidity. It was Linda Tran all over again. She really needed to stop doing this. "Hold on," she said to Gadreel right before she jerked the wheel, causing the car to do a one-eighty.

Gadreel grabbed the 'Oh-Shit' handle, "Umm, where are we going?"

"We need to get on I-80 and head towards Iowa City. There is a library there that Metatron hid the demon tablet and the rest of Castiel's grace."

"You have known where Castiel's grace was hidden? Why did you not tell him sooner?"

"In case you forgot, I got kidnapped me shortly after Cas stole that grace," Gadreel looked away, guilt written on his face. "Then after that I was in heaven's jail for a few months, after that I was stabbed, and after that I have been trying to help Sam locate his brother." She paused to catch her breath, "I've had a busy few months. It is not like I was twiddling my thumbs."

"You are right, I am sorry," and he sounded like it.

"Gadreel, don't beat yourself up over what happened to me in heaven. It wasn't your fault. Besides, we're about to make it right. We'll get Cas's grace, get the demon tablet and all will be right with the world."

Gadreel actually smirked, "You do not believe that, do you?"

"I'm a Winchester. Of course not."


	20. Chapter 20

**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**

 _ **Chapter 20**_

 _ **Deals and Desperation**_

Finding the demon tablet turned out to be a piece of cake. The moment they had entered the library Gadreel had been able to sense it. He had walked right to the shelf, knocked all the other books off of it, and pulled the tablet out. Finding Cass's grace was proving a little more difficult. Gadreel couldn't sense it and finding the right book was a little more tricky. "And you are sure it is here?" Gadreel asked the um-tenth time.

If eye-rolling was a sport Kris would have been an Olympian at it, "For the hundredth time, yes I am sure."

Gadreel tossed the latest book onto the table, he had just finished clearing one of many book shelves. "This is going to take forever," he whispered to himself. "What was that clue again?"

Kris stopped perusing the book shelves, reached into her back pocket, pulled out a slip of paper and read off it, "'What is the maddest thing a man can do?' She handed the paper it to Gadreel, "Castiel told me it was a clue given to Metatron from another angel. I believe the name was Ambriel, or something like that. Anyway."

Gadreel had grabbed another book off the shelf, flipped through it and then tossed it onto the table. "It would have been easier if he had just told you what book it was in."

Probable, but that's not the way Cas is." Kris grinned as she slid another thick book onto the table, "Actually I don't think Castiel remembers what book it was. He just remembered the clue. And this is getting tiresome." Her eyes feel on an old IBM computer. It was dusty, and looked like it could easily be from the early 80's. She smiled as she thought of something that should have been her first idea. "I guess we should GTS the line."

Not for the first time Gadreel looked confused, "I do not know what GTS means."

Smiling, she pulled out her phone, "It means we Google That Shit. Think of it as the ultimate intelligence for humans. I type in the line 'maddest thing man can do' and let's see what pops up." She typed it into her phone and, "Bingo. It's a quote from a book by Miguel de Cervantes called Don Quixote." She looked around the library, hoping she wouldn't have to use the card index. Four rows back and halfway down the isle, Kris found the book. She paused, took a deep breath and grabbed it off the shelf. Closing her eyes and holding her breath, she let the book fall open into the palm of her hands.

It was the gasp from Gadreel that let her know they had found it and she smiled a little before opening her eyes. A small clear vial lay in a cut out shape in the middle of the book. Inside the clear glass was a swirl of beautiful blue and white light. "Cass's grace, " she whispered as she pulled the vial out, letting the book fall to the floor. It was like the vial was humming with it's own energy and the temperature kept changing. One moment it was so hot to the touch, it felt like it would burn her hand. Then the next it was ice cold and everything in between.

The grin spread to a smile, "Can you find Castiel?" She turned towards Gadreel who has his eyes closed, but was not smiling like she thought he would be.

"He is with Hannah, and for some reason they are headed to heaven's portal."

"How far is it from here," Kris asked tucking the vial, very carefully into the front of her pants pockets.

"A good days drive, or…" he shrugged his shoulders and she knew what he meant.

"I thought you could only travel short distances?" she asked as she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. She had never traveled by angel before, seeing as Castiel and the other angels had never been able to heal their wings in her timeline.

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, "An angels idea of short distance and a humans idea of short distance are not the same. I consider flying to the moon a short distance."

Kris chuckled, "Please don't, I don't think the air will agree with me." She closed her eyes tight and gripped him tighter.

The sensation of strong winds pulled at her cloths, hair and face made her want to tighten her grip but she realized she couldn't really tell where her arms were. She could feel Gadreel's arms around her but she couldn't tell where her own body parts were. It was an odd feeling, not to mention just freaky as hell. And just like that the wind stopped and a very familiar, if not weaker, voice was saying her name.

"Kris?"

Opening her eyes she was met by Castiel's brilliant bright blue ones. "Hey Cas," she said, and then the contents of her stomach came up and it would have been comical seeing the way Castiel literally hopped back out of the line of fire if she hadn't been the one throwing up.

Her hair was instantly swept back from her face as she dropped to her hands and knees to finish being sick. After her stomach contents were gone, strong hands were helping her back to her feet. "What are you doing here Cas," she asked wiping the back of her hand across her mouth. It had been Gadreel who had held her hair back while she vomited and was now holding her around her waist, keeping her on her feet.

"I am not sure," Cas told her looking past the angel sitting on the bench reading a book. "Where is she?"

Kris turned to face to angel. Her vessel was an older woman, with graying hair and wearing a bright pink sweater. The sweater complimented her halo's color, a deep sea green. "She went upstairs, didn't she?" Kris asked stepping away from Gadreel. The woman just nodded.

"But why?" Castiel asked in disbelief, stepping towards the door, but Kris stopped him.

"To bargain with that son of a bitch for this," she reached into her front pocket and pulled out the vial. "I believe this belongs to you."

For a moment Castiel just stared at the little blue and white whirls. His eyes got wide and then he snatched the vial out of her hand, holding it to his chest. His eyes found Kris, "But how?"

"I'm sorry it took so long, but I have been a little bit busy these past few months and it's not like you've been around to remind me. I promise I didn't need to make any deals."

Castiel was smiling now and the other angel was listening to every word Kris was saying. He started to take the top off the vial but Kris stopped him. "Hold on," she told him, placing her hand on top of his. "I need to get up there and stop Hannah from doing something really stupid." She looked back at Gadreel and nodded towards the door. He seemed to understand what she needed him to do, because he moved towards the sandbox. "Join us when you feel better." She removed her hand and walked over to Gadreel who had opened the portal, still the woman guarding it didn't move.

The trip up was just as bad as she remembered the trip down. The bright light burned through her eye lids and she found herself burring her head into Gadreel's chest. It didn't seem to last as long this time. When the light faded she found herself back in the elevator and the doors were opening.

"Just out of curiosity," she asked Gadreel, looking up at him. "Does that bright light bother you?"

He smiled down at her, "I do not see a bright light when I come up and I do not think any other angels does. One moment we are on Earth and the next we are in that elevator."

Neither said anything as Kris actually lead Gadreel through the office looking cubicle's. It amazed her that she was able to find her way after only one time up here. They turned a corner and the cubicle's were gone, the walls changing from an office look to a dungeon look.

Hanna's voice carried down the halls, "Then I want it!"

And so did Metatron's, "Well, everybody wants something. The question is, are you willing to pay for it? Are you willing to, I don't know… let me out?"

Kris came barreling around the corner. Gadreel was right on her heels, "No! No, she is NOT!"

"AHHH!" Metatron hollered. "That is a double boo for the two of you."

"Blow it out your ass," Kris said standing far from the bars and refused to look at him, only at Hannah. "Hannah you can't do this."

"Yes, I have to," she told her. "Castiel is dying."

"She's right," Metatron commented. "He is."

Kris shot him a glare and she got a small surprise. He was actually in a straight-jacket, but that wasn't what shocked her. It was his halo. Every angelic halo she had seen, thus far, had been bright and very beautiful. But Metatron's halo wasn't bright. It was an ugly brown, like burnt sugar. There was no light coming off it. If a halo could be classified as human, this one would be it.

If he noticed her astonishment, he said nothing. "Hannah, you don't want to do this, trust me. Deals, or agreements made out of desperation, they will never end well." She looked back towards Gadreel, "Go get him."

"You do not need to. I am right here."

Castiel stepped around the corner and right away Kris could tell he was back to full power. His halo was a deep cobalt blue, unlike before where it was a light baby blue. It was like the healthier the angels were the brighter and prettier their halo's.

The look on Metatron's face was well worth it. "But…how did… that's not…" he stuttered.

"Tell me Metatron," Kris said stepping up to the bars, "what IS the maddest thing a man can do?" She widened her eyes at him, daring him to say something. He didn't disappoint.

"You bitch," he growled at her.

"You," she hissed at him leaning closer to the bars, "are never, _ever_ getting out of here." She gestured to the cell, "The best you can hope for is maybe a few luxuries. A bigger cell, a few books, maybe even a comfortable read chair. Because getting out of here is _never_ going to be on that list." Kris stood back from the bars, noticing that the other were watching her closely, but not saying a word. "So? Anything else you wanna add?"

If looks could kill, Kris would have died a hundred times over. The look Metatron was giving her was beyond furious, beyond murder, beyond livid. The term manic came to mind. Castiel stepped up to her, "I believe you have made your point, Kris" He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and started to lead her away, but she stopped him.

"Hold on, I do have one question." She turned back to the cell, crossed her arms and looked Metatron right in the face. " Do you know why I can see demonic faces and angel halo's?"

If she hadn't been studying his face so closely she would have missed the small flinch of his shoulders, and the micro crinkle in his eyebrows. What she couldn't have missed was the large toothy grin that spread across his face. "Ah, so there is something I know that you want." He stepped up to the bars and pressed hid face into them. "You know what I want. But I'll sweeten the pot for you." His eyes flashed to the lock, "You pop that lock, I'll tell you what you want to know and I'll scamper off to another…"

Kris couldn't contain it anymore, she started laughing. Full body, holding her sides laughing. She was sure the other three angles and the douche in the cell were confused but she couldn't help it. It had been a very long time since she had laughed this hard. Her sides were starting to hurt but every time she looked at Metatron in the cell the giggles would start all over. It was to the point she had to sit down, she was laughing so hard tears were starting to roll off her face.

"Kris, are you alright," Gadreel's concern were not lost on her but she just couldn't stop.

"Give," giggle, giggle, "me," giggle, giggle, "a moment." More giggling, she just couldn't stop. Until she felt another soft hand on her shoulder again and the giggle fit stopped. Her sides no longer hurt and she was left catching her breath. She felt Gadreel and Cas lift her to her feet. "I'm fine now." She looked over at Metatron, "He has no clue why I can do this now. None what-so-ever." Looking over at Hannah, she could see a look of relief on her face, "We don't need him anymore, there is no reason to ever come back here." The three of them turned their backs on the cell and started walking out.

"You have no idea what I know!" came Metatron's voice. "There are things in this universe that you have no clue on!"

Kris stopped, "You three stay here a moment." She walked back to his cell. "Unless you can tell me how to remove that mark from Dean's arm," she hissed in a low voice, "without releasing the Darkness, you are useless." Again the flitch and crinkle. "That's what I thought, you are useless and we have nothing to talk about." She walked away and ignored the names he called her.

Once the four of them were around the corner, his cries cut off. Kris turned back and was meet with an office looking wall. It was Hannah who spoke first, "No one will be back in there for a very long time."

Kris looked over at her, "Do you measure time the way you measure distance?"

Hannah just grinned, "Yes we do."


	21. Chapter 21

**Time Can't Heal All Things**

 _ **Chapter 21**_

 _ **Short And Sweet**_

The bunker seemed quiet when Kris and Gadreel arrived, suggesting to her Sam hadn't returned. Castiel and Hannah had stayed in heaven, working on getting their wings fixed. It had been decided that offering to fix other angel wings would be a safer way to get reluctant angels back to heaven.

Kris walked down the stairs as she checked her phone. There was no text from Sam and it was starting to worry her.

"Kris?" Gadreel's voice broke through her concentration. "I am sure Sam is fine."

She clicked her phone off, "Am I that transparent?"

Gadreel shrugged, "I know you are worried about your fath…"

"Come on, Sammy!" Dean's angry voice carried down the hallway from the kitchen. "Don't you want to hang out with your big brother? Spend a little quality time?"

Kris froze and Gadreel actually ran into her. "What is…" Before he could finish the question Kris spun around and clamped her hand over his mouth, putting her finger to her lips. The kitchen was right down the hall and any noise would be easy for Dean to hear.

They stood like that while Kris listened to Dean's boots thud further down the hall. "Dean's heading towards Sam's room," she whispered removing her hand from Gadreel's mouth.

"How can you tell?" He was whispering as well.

"I've spent months in this bunker. I probable know it better then anyone."

Right then the lights went out. For the briefest of moments they were both plummeted into total darkness, but it didn't last long. The emergency lights kicked on as well as a few alarms.

"The bunker's on lock down. Nothing in," she looked at Gadreel, "nothing out."

"Smart, Sam!" Dean's voice was further away but still managed to echo down the hall. "Locking the place down. But here's the thing: I don't want to leave! Not 'til I find you!"

Gadreel grabbed Kris by the shoulders, turned her around and pushed her towards the archway. In the redened room it took her a moment to realize he was pushing her towards the hidden records room. "We are not hiding," she told him, bracing her hands on both sides of the archway.

He simply moved passed her, pushed the hidden latch and swung the door aside. "You are right. We are not hiding." He grabbed her upper arm and pushed her into the room. "You are."

"Wait, what?" Kris stumbled into the dark room, "You aren't leaving me here!"

"Kris, I can not fight Dean if I am trying to protect you."

Kris could see his outline through the dim light, "Yea because leaving me worked so well last time." Her hand fell on her abdomen.

She was manipulating him, but she was not going to be benched, not when her dad needed her. The pressure on the door vanished, she knew she'd hit a nerve.

"That is not fair."

"Never said I fight fair," Kris said stepping out of the room.

Gadreel hung his head and Kris smiled, she had won.

"Neither do I." Quicker then Kris could comprehend, Gadreel grabbed her upper arm again, spun her back into the room, closed the door and locked it from the outside. She thought he whispered 'Sorry' as she stumbled past him and back into the room.

Kris was standing in blackness. "Damn it," she hissed to herself as she felt her way to the filing cabinet on the left side of the door. She opened the bottom drawer, found the flashlight within and flipped it on. She swepted the beam of light around the room, it fell on dusty, crappy looking old chair. With nothing else to do she took a seat. "Guess I really am getting benched."

"Sammy!" Kris jumped at how close his voice was. "You're just making this worse for yourself, man!" Judging by his voice, Dean was now in the war room and getting closer to Kris's hiding spot, so she clicked off the flashlight.

"You can, uh… blame yourself for me getting loose. All that blood you pumped into me to make me human _…"Well that's just great,"_ Kris thought to herself as she pulled her feet to her chest. "..the less demon I was, the less the cuffs worked. And that Devil's Trap? Well, I just walked right across it." He was right out side the records room and Kris held her breath.

"It smarted, but still," he was opening a drawer and if memory served Kris well, it would have been the one with all the master keys in it. She strained her ears for the jingling of keys, but didn't hear any. Dean's foot steps faded and Kris let out a sigh of relief.

Shortly after that the lights came back on and a second later she heard the faint sound of her fathers voice, but it was to far to make out what he was saying. She left the chair, set the flashlight on the counter and moved to the door, putting her ear against it.

"Dean, stop that!" Kris pulled on the door, which was stupid because she had heard Gadreel locking it. "I don't want to use this blade on you!"

Moving away from the door, Kris started breathing hard. She had to get out there and help. _Come on think!_ She spun around the room and noticed the glass case on the far back wall. Inside were a bunch of keys on little brass hooks. It took a moment of staring at them for her to realize they were the spar keys. "I am a fucking idiot," she whispered to herself and she moved to the case, pulled it opened and grabbed the one labeled Financial Room.

Kris unlocked to door, stood in the doorway and listened for a moment. "I'm tried of playing. Let's finish this game!" Dean's voice was off to her right and most likely two halls down, close to the Electrical Room. She pressed her back to the wall and slide along it, struggling to listen for any other sounds.

She kept her eyes forwards and halfway down the hall, she saw her father peek his head around a corner. "Sam," she hissed at him.

"Kris?" Sam said as he came into full view. A hammer swung at his head, missing him by a hair's breath and Kris watched as her father swung around pressing Ruby's dagger to Deans throat.

"Well, look at you," Dean said looking his brother in the eye. Kris moved to stand next to Sam.

Dean shifted his eyes to her, they flashed black. "Looks like Future Girl is all better now." Kris said nothing and Dean focused his attention back to Sam. "Go on. Do it. It's all you."

Sam put his hand out towards Kris, pushing her behind him more, but kept the knife tight to his brothers throat, "Step back Kris."

Dean actually chuckled, "Like you have it in you Sammy."

It was Sam's turn to smile at his brother. "You're right, Dean." Sam lowered the knife and stepped back. "We're just distracting you."

Dean lunged at Sam, but Gadreel was there to stop him. He had snuck up behind Dean, while Sam and Kris were distracting him, wrapped his arms around his trunk and pinned his arms to his side. "It is over Dean."

Sam and Gadreel managed to get Dean back into the dungeon and strapped back down.

Kris in the mean time left them to it and headed to her room. She entered, flipped the light on, flopped on to her bed, buried her head into her pillow and screamed. She had been running on less then eight hours of sleep over the last three days and was beyond exhausted. There was no way she was going to watch Sam and Gadreel work on curing Dean, that was just asking too much.

There was a soft knock on at her door. "I'm fine Gadreel," Kris said as she sat up. But it wasn't Gadreel standing in the door way. Castiel stood in her doorway.

"Sorry," she said sitting on the edge of the bed. "You're looking better."

"Thank you." He walked into the room and sat beside her. "So you have had a rough couple of days."

"That's an understatement." She sighed. "Want to know the kicker part? Even after all that," she waved her hadn towards her open door, "I have no idea how to help Dean. None what so ever."

Castiel didn't say anything, just looked down at his hands. He knew she was right. After a few moments of dead silence he spoke up, "Well find something."


	22. Chapter 22

_I normally do not do a writer's note, but I felt this one deserved one. It is a fan fiction about a fan fiction and that just had to be done. This in no way reflects my opinion on other fan fictions. That would just make me a hypocrite, something I can't stand. It is based on how Kris would re-act after learning her father's life has been made into books and others have written their version of his life. That is all._

 **Time Can't Heal All Wounds**

 _ **Chapter 22**_

 _ **Fan Fiction of a Fan Fiction**_

The first few days after Dean was turned back were awkward for Kris. Dean seemed withdrawn and didn't talk much, not even to Sam. At one point he did try and give Kris a very uncomfortable apology. Rather then stand there and have Dean ho-hum through a difficult situation, she pulled the old Winchester stand by of 'no chick flicks'. Dean had grinned, shook his head and walked away after that.

Dean managed to find a hunt in Michigan and had talked Sam into going with him, while she spent most of her time searching the Men of Letters library for anything on the Mark, e-mailing Kevin for updates about the angel tablet, or checking the web for something to kill.

Gadreel and Castiel seemed to have switch places. Castiel hanging at the bunker, while Gadreel took over the duties in heaven. Kris had been relieved to hear that the majority of rogue angels who hadn't wanted to return to heaven had done so under the promise of fixed wings and Castiel's word that should they want to, they would be allowed to return to their lives but only as humans. It had surprised her that a lot of the angels had been okay with this arrangement

Kris was currently on the phone with Kevin, "So how is Tiger Mama handling hanging with the werewolves?"

There was a small chuckle, "She andGarthare getting along great." Kevin sounded incredible light hearted. "The whole changing into a wolf thing, doesn't seem to phase her."

"Well your mom has seen weirder," Kris replied, tossing another book on to an already growing pile. "Have you found anything about the Mark in there?"

There was a heavy sigh, "Sorry Kris, but I can't find anything about the Mark."

"But what about the parts that Metatron made so difficult to read?" There was just a hint of hope in her voice but this avenue was looking like a dead end.

"From the parts that I have been able to read, and trust me that isn't a lot, it seems to be a way to open heaven. However," he was quick to continue, knowing she would get excited. "All it mentions is that it is possible to re open heaven. There wouldn't be this using a door to get to heaven."

"Well," she took a deep breath, "it's not what I was hoping for, but I won't deny that this is still good news. So, have you let Cas or Gadreel know?"

There was dead silence on the other end and Kris didn't have to be psychic to know what was causing it. She had said the G-word. Even after all this time, Kevin still hadn't forgiven Gadreel for trying to kill him. He had been refusing to acknowledge that Gadreel had been helping them and had saved Kris's life.

Kris sighed, "Really Kevin?" He still didn't say anything. "Fine, were you able to contact Castiel about what you found?"

"Yes," Kevin told her in a clipped tone, "he knows."

"Alright then Mr. Sunshine, is there anything else I should know?" Another deep breath and Kris knew he wanted to say something but was holding it back. "Come on, just say it." Kris kicked her feet up on the table.

"I think… that is I believe…" He huffed again, "Just be careful Kris. I don't trust Gadreel."

Kris rubbed the bridge of her nose, "Kevin how many times…"

"So, I'll let you know if I find anything of use to you," Kevin interrupted. "I'll call ya." He hung up before she could say anything else.

"Beautiful," Kris mumbled. "Just beautiful." She slide her phone across the table, frustrated as hell at Kevin. It wasn't like she was asking him to trust Gadreel with his life. She'd had no problem doing that but then again she didn't have a choice at the time. It was either that or die.

Her phone rang and she stood up to retrieve her phone from the other end of the table. It was Sam. "Hey Sam," she said as she started putting the books away.

"So Dean's found another hunt, but it's at an all girls school."

Kris chuckled, "Where's it at?" She headed back to her rooms to get her stuff together..

"St. Alphonso's School for Girls in Flint, Michigan." Sam told her. "Dean and I are already on our way, we'll pick you up on the way."

"How about I meet you there," she was throwing a few pieces of clothing into a duffle bag, including her FBI suit. "This way I can get there first and start getting an idea on what's going on. Unless you two already have an idea."

"As of now it's just an odd disappearance we're looking into."

Kris stopped packing, "I know that tone Sam. You don't think there's anything there, do you?"

There was a pause, and then Sam sighed, "There is nothing that suggest there isn't something there."

She knew this tone as well. It was one he would use to humor her. "Alright then, I'm leaving in ten minutes. I'll see ya then." Kris hung up and tossed her phone onto her bed as she started finishing up packing. She loaded her duffle in to the Bel Air, hopped into the front seat and headed off.

* * *

The next day and Kris was pulling up to the all girl high school. A very stern looking lady with black hair and wearing a suit was standing by the doors, directing young girls though them. Kris exited her car, straightened her suit and made her way over to the woman.

"Excuse me," Kris asked the woman, "I'm looking for the office, could you give me directions?"

The woman looked her up and down before answering, "Maybe I can help you." She extended her hand, "I'm Principal Salazar."

Kris took the offered hand as she reached into her pocket, "I'm Agent Johnson, I believe my supervisor, Special Agent Smith, called to let you know I would be coming."

Principal Salazar dropped her hand but actually smiled, "Yes he did. You're looking into Ms. Chandler disappearance. You seem a little young for the FBI."

Smiling as she held her badge out to Mrs. Salazar, Kris nodded. "Yes, I'm here to get some background information. I guess you could call me an agent in training." Mrs. Salazar took the badge, but barley gave it a glance before handing it back. "Do you know the last place Ms. Chandler was seen?"

"That would be the auditorium, she is the drama teacher." She gestured to the doors, where four girls were struggling with a banner, and waited for Kris to walk through them. "From what the girls have told the local authorities they were running rehearsals and Ms. Chandler left around 9 o'clock." Kris followed her down the halls, ignoring the glances and whispers from the girls. It was high school all over again.

They reached the auditorium, "Principal Salazar, I'm expecting my supervisors any minute. Would it be possible for you to show then here while I take a look around?"

"Of course." She opened the door and Kris walked in, "If there is anything else you need just call." Kris nodded as Principal Salazar closed the door.

The auditorium had about thirty girls in it. There were two already stage, dressed as guys and it looked as if they were preparing to sing. Kris could tell the two who were in charge, they were the only ones in the school's uniform. She walked down towards them, then stops in her tracks when she finally listens to the words of the song. They had turned the words for summoning a crossroads demon into a damn song.

Kris took her eyes off the two girls she was heading towards and paid attention to the action on the stage. The girl with the dark wig was the one singing, while the other one was kneeling at center stage and placing what looked like a paper cut out of box into a crudely drawn pentagram.

"The perfect brother, a man without sin. Cause underneath the manly sheen, he's my brother, a boy named Dean."

That did it. "CUT!" Kris yelled. The music stopped and everyone on stage froze. The taller of the two girls, spun around. "Who ever is in charge," Kris continued as she made her way to the stage, "get over here right NOW!" She fished out her badge as the two still in uniform made their way to her.

"Alright," the shorter one said over her shoulder, "take five."

"I'm Marie and I'm in charge. Who are you?"

Kris ignored the tone and held out her badge, "I'm Agent Johnson and what the hell is this?" She gestured to the people on stage.

"Well this is Supernatural: the musical," Marie said as if that was obvious.

Still at a loss for words, Kris shook her head, "Based on what?"

"Well the books of course," the shorter girls said, again with that duh tone in her voice.

"Supernatural is a book?" Kris just couldn't get her head around it. "Books about what?"

Over the next few minutes Kris listened as Marie and Maeve, the shorter one, started talking about Sam and Dean's life. "Wait! There are books about it." ' _Why hadn't her dad told her that._ ' she thought to herself.

"Umm," Maeve interrupted, "why are you here."

Kris shook her head, she had forgotten she was here on a case. And if she was worth her salt as a hunter, she would bet money it had to do with this play. "Yea, sorry. We're looking into Ms. Chandlers disappearance."

"We?"

"Yea, my supervisors are on their way. I'm here to get background information, you know kind of a agent in training." Kris looked over her shoulder, they should be there any minute and maybe she should warn them. ' _Nay,'_ she thought to herself. She wanted to see their face's when they walked in on this. "Look, until they get here," she looked back at the girls, "can I just sit and watch you ladies rehearse?"

Neither Marie or Maeve seemed to have a problem with it, so over the next three hours, while the girls rehearse, Kris quietly talked to a few of the other girls waiting to run their parts.

She also used her phone to look up the _Supernatural_ books. So she wouldn't interrupt rehearsal All were written by a guy named Carver Edlund, and looked of if they followed Sam and Dean's life from the time Dean pulled Sam from collage, which Kris had no idea Sam had even been in collage, to when Sam leapt into the Cage, again she'd had no idea about.

There also seemed to be a lot of fan fiction about them as well, but Kris was a little freaked out to go to those links. Last thing she wanted to read was someone else's idea of a kid for either one of the boys.

It was while the girls were practicing their opening scene, and Kris was on the third book, 'Dead In The Water', that Sam and Dean walked in.

Sitting eight rows back Kris actually heard Principal Salazar show the guys in. She clicked off her phone and turned around. She could tell the exact moment they realized something was up. Katie, who was playing Bobby, was practicing her line and the moment 'Idjit' reached their ears they both froze. Then Kristen, who was playing Castiel, started her line of 'Hey Ass-butt', and Kris had to hold in her giggles. But it was when the music for the opening scene started that Kris nearly lost it. She had been listening to the song this whole time so for her it was background noise, but Sam and Dean were beyond shocked. Sam was actually leaning back as if the whole cast was about to turn on him. At the mention of their names, Dean turned to Sam with an expression of horror.

Kris should have said something then but couldn't bring herself too. This was just too funny for her. As Sibohan, who was playing Dean, continued the opening song, both guys stood motionless and stunned. Luckily it was Marie calling cut that gave Kris to opportunity to stand up and approach them.

"Hey guys," Kris said with a grin on her face. "What do you think?"

For a moment neither guy acknowledged that Kris had said anything to them. Then Dean finally spoke up, "What in the Holy Hell."

Kris pretended not to know what they were talking about, "I know it needs a little work, but you have to admit, it's pretty good." She looked over her shoulder as Marie was on stage giving Siobhan direction. "The songs are pretty catchy too." She looked back at them. Both had their mouths hanging open.

Kris snapped her fingers in front of then, "Guys!"

Finally both of them looked at her, "Kris what the hell is going on?"

"Well I can say for certain that if there is a case, and I am not sure there is one," she waved her hand behind her. "It may have to do with the fact that they drama club is doing an interpretation of Supernatural. And Sam, why have you never told me there are books based on your life?"

The sound of foot steps stopped Sam from answering her. "Publishers?" Marie asked a little out of breath.

Kris turned to her shaking her head, "Nope. These two are Special Agents Smith, no relation."

"Oh," Marie sound disappointed. "You're here about Ms. Chand.."

"There is no singing in 'Supernatural'!" Dean interrupted. Kris just covered her eyes.

Maeve spoke up, "Well this is Marie's interpretation."

Kris cleared her throat, "Agent Smith I know you are a big fan of the books." Kris turned to give Dean a death stare. "But lets keep the criticism to ourselves."

'It's… just…," Dean stuttered. "Well if there was singing, it would be classic rock."

"Well," Marie told him sounding very proud of herself, "we do sing a cover of Carry On Wayward Son, in the second act."

"Really?" Sam asked with disbelief.

Three voice chimed in, "It's a classic." Marie sound like, 'Duh', Dean was more like 'What Planet Are You From', and Kris just sounded exasperated.

"Hey I got an idea," Kris continued, "how about we get back to the missing teacher." The girls gave her a 'lets get down to business' look, while Sam and Dean rolled their eyes. "So I've talked with a few of the girls and Ms. Chandler left here around 9:30ish?" She glanced at Marie and Maeve for confirmation, and both nodded in agreement.

"Where would she be headed that late?" Sam asked.

"A bar, or a liquor store, both," Maeve answered sarcastically.

Kris filled them in on the why, "According to other girls, she'd had a nasty divorce last year and seemed to take it pretty hard."

This time both girls snickered, "Yea hard. That's a nice way of putting it. If she wasn't passed out, she was sipping on her 'happy juice'. Not necessarily in that order."

Dean looked around the auditorium, "Yea I don't blame her."

Kris quickly jumped in, before Dean could insult the production further, "Girls, if you could give us a second."

Maeve looked ready to hurt someone, probable Dean, but Marie just pulled her back to the stage with her.

"I'm going to throw up."

"Dean knock it off," Kris hissed at him. "These girls are fans of the books and if there is one thing I have leaned by reading about these Supernatural Fans online, you do not piss them off."

Sam chuckled, "So what do you think, Ghost, cursed object."

Kris shrugged her shoulders, "Who knows, they are using actual summoning charms. It could be just about anything you two have hunted."

"So," Dean points to Sam, "you check for EMF. While Kris and I look in the teachers office for cured objects."

"Oh yea," Kris said with mischief in her eyes, "this is going to be so much fun."

* * *

Kris followed Dean and Marie onto the stage and noticed all the fake weapons laying out on a table. She headed over to it but didn't grab any, she knew how protective drama kids were about their props.

"How did you get all this stuff?" Dean asked walking up to the table and picking up one of the shot guns. Kris cleared her throat and gestured for Dean to put the gun down, he ignored her.

"Some parts homemade," Marie was saying, still heading towards the back of the stage. "Some parts repurposed. All of it, awesome. Don't."

Kris saw her stop, take the gun from Dean and set it back on the table, "Please, don't." Kris just chuckled, but concealed a small EMF reader in the palm of her hand and ran it over the props on the table.

None of the items on the table gave off the smallest of blips, all clear.

Kris looked over at Dean to give him the thumbs up but he and Marie were watching Siobhan and Maggie rehearsing another scene.

"The bowel movement scene?"

Marie rolled her eyes, ": No, the boy melodrama scene." Dean still looks confused. "You know, the scene where the boys get together, and they're-they're driving, or leaning against Baby. Drinking a beer, sharing their feelings. The two of them. Alone. But together. Bonded. United. The power of the brotherly…"

"Why," Dean interrupted, "are they standing so close together?"

Kris looked up from the table, seeing the girls standing nearly nose to nose. In all her time with them, she had never seen Sam and Dean stand that close while talking.

Marie refused to look at Dean, "Umm, reasons."

Kris glances from Marie, to the girls and then to Dean. She lost it, letting out a loud guffawed, earning a stern look from Dean and an annoyed one from Marie. "I'm sorry," Kris tried to get the giggles under control. "You do relies that they are brothers? And in no way, romantically…" Kris had to stop, a small about of bile rose in her throat at just the idea of it.

"It's all subtext," she said matter-of-factly.

"Why don't you take some sub-steps back there, ladies!" Dean called out while Kris turned away, fighting the urge to laugh and vomit at the same time.

"How about we head up to Ms. Chandler's office?" Kris suggested.


	23. Chapter 23

**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**

 _ **Chapter23**_

 _ **There Is No Singing**_

Dean shook his head and pulled Kris aside, "I swear, I don't think I can take much more of this crap."

Kris fought back a chuckle, "How about I go with Marie and check out the teachers office; you find Sam." Right then the lights started dimming and then brightening. She looked up and towards the lighting booth, to where Sam was fiddling with the lights. "Actually you might want to go get your little brother before the tech people break in and string him up by his toes."

Ms. Chandler's office was a mess, even by Kris's standers. There were empty bottles, piles of scripts, and loose papers everywhere. In fact if Kris hadn't known better she would have swore the office had been ransacked. Kris stayed behind Marie sweeping her EMF over the office. Again, not a blip.

Kris paused by a robot's head, tapped the dumb thing, letting off a few little beeps and bloops, then looked at Marie, "Is this your teachers?"

"No," she answered, a little surprised when she turned around and saw what Kris was referring too. "I've been looking for that," she took it off the desk. "It's a prop from act two."

Kris raised an eyebrow and shook her head, "There aren't any robots in 'Supernatural'."

"Well no, not according to the books," Marie told her setting the helmet back on the table. "But this is transformative fiction."

Kris rolled her eyes, "You mean this is fan fiction."

"Call it what you like, ok? It's inspired by Carver Edlund's books, with a few embellishments." Marie leaned against the book shelf, "I just- I couldn't leave it that way after 'Swan Song'! I mean, Dean not hunting anymore and living with Lisa?! Sam, somehow escaped the Cage, but not with Dean?! So, I wrote my own ending."

"Wait!" Kris said holding up a hand, "Who's Lisa?" The look Marie gave her left Kris with a distinct impression this girl thought she was slow in the head. Kris held up her hands in defense, "Hey, I just found out about these books and I'm only on book three, 'Dead In The Water."

"Well, spoiler, Lisa is the women Dean lives with after Sam jumps into the cage."

"So," Kris asks, "Dean ends up with a normal life, and that wasn't good enough for you? You thought it would be a wonderful idea to throw him back into hunting things, risking his life and watching those he cares about die? All because you didn't like the happy ending?"

"It wasn't about the happy ending," Marie tried to explain. "It was about the boys not being together. They're family, their happy endings should always be them together."

Kris look pointedly at the robot head, "And apparently your happy ending involves robots in space."

Marie looked a little sheepish, "And some ninjas. And then, Dean becomes a woman."

Kris's eyes widened, "You turn him into a woman!"

"Only for a couple of scenes"

"Moving on!" Kris told her grabbing the head, moving out of the office, and back to the auditorium.

"So," Kris asked as she handed to robot head back to Marie, "how detailed are the books?"

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean by detailed but there are a few steamy scene's." Marie wiggled her eyebrows and Kris fought to hold down her lunch. That was the last thing she needed, but these books would be an interesting way to get to know her dad and uncle better, she would just skip those parts.

"I just can't believe you haven't heard about Supernatural until now. I mean it has it's own cult following and there have even been a couple of conventions for it."

"Well I will say this, I have noticed how loyal the fans are." They had reached the auditorium and Kris could see Sam and Dean talking in the audience. "I guess my boss's are done here." She moved to head up to the guys then stopped and spun around. "I know this is going to sound really un-professional, but what got you into the books?"

Marie grinned, "Well, I've always like the paranormal. Scary movies, ghost stories, and all that just appealed to me. One day, I was in a book store and happened across 'The Scarecrow', you haven't come to that one yet. But since there is an urban legend here about a scarecrow on an abandoned farm, outside of town, I figured it would be a good scare. I bought it and have been hooked ever since."

Kris grinned a little and looked over her shoulder at the guys, "I better go talk to my boss's." She left Marie, who returned to directing, and headed up the steps toward Sam and Dean. "So, Ms. Chandler's office is nothing but a pile of empty bottles and a whole lot of regret. She's probably face down in a bar, a drunk tank, or who knows." Kris was actually kind of bummed. She was hoping this would lead to some kind of case.

Dean looked incredulous, " So what? All this, this whole musical thing, everything, it's all a coincidence? There is no case?"

Sam shrugged his shoulders, "Unless you're seeing something we don't, there's no case here."

"Fine then," Dean said as he turned to exit the auditorium. "Let's get the hell out of here."

Sam moved to follow but Kris just cleared her throat. Neither of them were going to like this. "Actually, I'm staying for the show." She held up the ticket she had per cured before the boys had gotten there.

It took a moment for her words and actions to sink into Dean, before he gave her an 'Are-You-Serious?' look. Sam, she could tell was suppressing a smile. "Oh hell no!" Dean said as he moved to grab the ticket, but luckily Kris was expecting it and managed to keep it out of his grasp.

"It's not like you two need to stay. I did drive myself here and am capable of driving myself back."

Dean looked about ready to explode, but just walked out of the auditorium letting the doors slam on his way out. Sam shook his head, followed Dean out and tossed over his shoulder, "Enjoy the show, we'll be heading out tomorrow. I'm sure Dean's going to want to hit up a bar to drown the memory of this." He waved his hand.

Kris laughed at them both, took a seat, pulled her phone out and started searching for the other Supernatural books.

Kris used the excuse that her boss's wanted her to stay in case Ms. Chandler showed up, and used the time to keep reading the books. But as rehearsal progressed the tension in the auditorium grew. She was nearly done with 'Hell House' when a commotion on stage got her attention.

"That Is It!" Maggie was yelling at Marie. "I have had it with your bossiness, your rudeness and… and," Maggie stuttered to find the right words. "Well, YOU!" She shoved Marie out of her way and stormed off the stage, "I QUIT!"

There was a moment of silence on stage and Maggie was nearly out the doors before Marie called after her, "Maggie, wait!" She hopped off the stage and ran after her.

Kris clicked off her phone, got up and followed Marie out. "A lot of drama in the drama department," Kris mumbled as the doors closed behind her.

By the time Kris got to the doors, Marie was coming back in shaking her head. "Everything alright?" Kris asked.

Marie shook her head, "Maggie is going to Principal Salazar." She looked devastated, "She's going to get us shut…" Before she could finish there was a scream from outside.

Without thinking, Kris pushed Marie behind her and bolted out of the doors. Her head whipped to the right, just in time to see Maggie being wrapped up by a very live scarecrow and dragged behind a dumpster. "MAGGIE!" Kris yelled, running towards them, as she reached to the small of her back and pulled the Smith & Wesson tucked there. By the time she reached the backside of the dumpster, there was no trace of Maggie or the scarecrow. Footfalls behind her made her spin around with her gun raised.

Marie skidded to a stop, holding her hands up in front of her. "Don't shoot." Kris lowered the gun and turned back around as Marie asked, "Where is she? Where's Maggie?"

Surveying the ground, Kris became aware of a purple flower lying beside Maggie's bike, "She's gone." She looked back at Marie, "I think I need to call the boys back."

* * *

The cops were there within minutes and before Kris could talk with Marie, she had already told them what really happened. Kris managed to over hear them after they had talked with her. "Drama students," one of them comment as he rolled his eyes.

She let them go but noticed Sam walk in and head towards the same cops. Kris walked over to Marie who was sitting on the stage, "You do of course realize how insane you sound right, telling them a real scarecrow took Maggie? Let me guess, they said you have an overactive imagination and it was probable just a guy in a costume?"

Marie hung her head and nodded, "But I know what I saw, and you saw it too."

Kris nodded her head, then hopped up on the stage, "I did. But I also know that people in authoritative positions don't like what they don't understand."

Marie looked over at her, "But you're one of them."

"Well," Kris said looking down, "kind of."

Right then Maeve come up to them and handed Marie a cup of tea. "It's all real, isn't it?" Marie asked looking over at Kris.

Kris didn't meet her gaze, "Yep, it's all real. Ghosts, Vampire's, Angels, and Demons. It's all true. Those books you love so much are based on those two." She gestured to Sam, who was still talking to the cops, and Dean, who had just walked in. "Ladies, meet the real Dean and Sam Winchester." She leaned back, "Hunters extraordinaire and savers of the world."

She was expecting something but Marie and Maeve snorting laughter was not it. "Look," Marie said once she stopped laughing, "I am willing to believe that monsters are real, but those books are fiction."

"Besides," Maeve chimed in, "those two are to old for Sam and Dean. Maybe Rufus and Bobby."

Kris sighed, "Okay first of all the books are not fiction, more of a documentary. Second, the books first came out, what nearly ten years ago, so those two would be the right age. Lastly, wither you believe who they are or not, they can help."

Sam and Dean walked over to them, "So Agent…" Kris shook her head.

"Don't bother," she told them. "I told them who you are and they don't believe me so, whatever." She hopped off the stage.

Dean looked at Marie, "So the scarecrow you saw?"

Marie nodded, "Yea it looked like the one from our play, but, well alive."

"Is it based on the books?" Sam asked.

"No," Marie said shaking her head. "I changed it. I've always been scared of a local legend, when I was a kid. Kids used to say, if it caught you, it would take you away, so I based it on that."

Sam nodded and looked to his brother, "If that's true. Ms. Chandler and Maggie are probable still alive."

"You think the scarecrow was created by the play?" Maeve asked.

There was a slight pause as realization dawned on Marie's face. "You think it's a tulpa," she stated in awe.


	24. Chapter 24

**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**

 _ **Chapter 23**_

 _ **Final Act**_

Marie and Maeve showed the boys to the school library, while Kris made a pit stop to her car and grabbed a few books. One on Tibetan myths and the other one on Greek and Roman myths.

When Kris entered the library, both girls were sitting at one of the many tables. She handed the Tibetan book to Dean, who flipped to the page with the information about Tulpas. "Alright girls," he told them as he handed to book to them, "read up." Both girls rolled their eyes at him.

"You do realize we are fans of the book," Marie told him but seemed to be doing as he asked.

"Alright then Ms. Smarty-Pants," Dean said. "Explain what a tulpa is and how to kill it."

"Really Dean?" Kris stated, taking a seat next to Maeve. "Do we really have…"

"A Tulpa is a Tibetan monster," Marie interrupted, "created by intense, focused energy on an idea…"

"Or a story." Maeve brought up.

"Right, or a story. And the only way to kill the tulpa is to kill the symbol of the focus. In Sam and Dean's case, that meant burning the house down."

"And in our case?" Kris asked.

"The scarecrow from your play," Dean asked looking at Marie, "prop or person?"

"Prop." Marie answered, looking frightened. "And it's terrifying. We keep it in the boiler room."

Kris was looking in the Greek mythology book, "I seriously doubt this is a tulpa."

"What makes you think that," Sam asked.

"Well for one thing," Kris informed them, "there's just not enough energy generated from the books."

If looks could kill, Marie and Maeve would be murdering Kris right now. "Now wait a minute," Kris begged, holding up her hands. "Let me explain. While the books do have a loyal following, you would need every single person who follows these books to be focusing on just your play." She looked over at Dean, "And I am pretty sure this show isn't even sold out."

"I sure as hell hope not." Dean looked over to Sam, "Just to be on the safe side, and since we have no other ideas, scarecrow man's our best bet." Dean looks over at Marie, "Show me to the boiler room."

Marie didn't look as if she wanted to go anywhere near the boiler room, but nodded her head. "Okay."

Kris watched as they left the library, "I'm telling you Sam, it is not a tulpa."

"It is the best idea we have to go on," Sam informed her flipping through the Tibetan mythology book.

Kris shrugged as she grabbed the Greek mythology book. She was halfway through it before she noticed the same purple flower kept popping up. "Sam, hand me your cell phone." She held out her hand for the phone and Sam dropped it in her hand. She flipped through his pictures until she found the one of the purple flower. "Found it!" She turned the phone around so Sam could see, "It's a borage, or starflower." She tossed the cell phone back to Sam and turned to the Greek mythology book. Halfway through she found the page she was looking for, "It represents Calliope, the goddess of music and poetry."

Maeve and Sam gave confused expressions, so Kris turned her book around so they could read it as well, while she read it upside down. "According to legend, Calliope manifests creatures from whatever story, poem, or in this case the play, she's taken a liking to. She uses those creatures to inspire the author, as well as protect them until their vision is realized."

Maeve looked up, "So destroying our prop of the scarecrow won't do anything?"

Dean and Marie came through at that moment, looking very victorious. "We came! We saw! We kicked its…"

"Not a tulpa," Kris interrupted quickly. "It's Calliope."

Marie's face fell, "What?"

"It's not a tulpa, it's a Greek muse called Calliope."

Maeve turned the book to her friend, "She's the goddess of epic poetry and she's been using the idea of our scarecrow to inspire and protect you."

"Sooo," Marie said, rolling her eyes up at Dean, "we burned my prop for nothing?"

Dean rolled his eyes back, "Oh, trust me. That thing needed to burn."

Maeve turned to Kris, "You said earlier that she uses the scarecrow to make sure Marie's vision is realized. What happens once it's realized?"

Kris hunched her shoulders and wouldn't look at them. "She eats the author," she said very quietly.

Marie took a step back, "Okay that's bad." She looked up at Dean, "I guess you get your wish. We are so canceling the show."

"Umm, " Kris explained, "that's what your teacher and Maggie try to do and look what happened to them. The scarecrow doesn't just protect you, it protects your idea as well. Even if that means protecting the idea from you. Try and get the show shutdown, and he'll just come and take you."

"So the scarecrow is acting as the boogie man?" Dean asked and answered, "Which makes it our best bet to take out Calliope."

"Right," Kris said. "But she won't show up until Maria's vision is realized."

For the first time since meeting her Kris could tell Marie was unsettled. "So what does that mean?"

Dean answered for everyone, but sounded as if he couldn't believe he was about to say this. "The show must go on."

Before anyone could say much of anything else, Marie turned tail and bolted out of the library. "Dean you have such a way with words," Kris stated as she and Maeve got up to follow Marie out.

It wasn't hard for Kris to keep up with Marie. She seemed to be heading back towards the auditorium but then took the sharp left into the dressing room. By the time Kris walked in, Marie was sitting on a chair, facing a mirror, with a paper bag in her hands and hyperventilating into it.

Carefully, so as not to scare her, Kris walked over and gently placed her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Deep breaths," Kris told her. "In with the rainbow, out with the Smurfs."

For a moment Marie's breathing stopped completely as she looked over at Kris. "Smurfs?" she asked.

"It was something my speech teacher used to say to me." Kris came around and squatted in front of her. "Basically you're breathing in all the motions of a rainbow, and breathing out of the negative emotions."

Marie set the brown paper bag on her lap, "But why Smurfs?"

Kris smiled, "I never liked those stupid little blue creatures, so in my mind I was getting rid of the Smurfs."

This explanation actually made Marie laugh. By then Dean and Maeve had entered the dressing room as well. "How's our Champ doing?" Dean asked.

"This is all my fault. If I hadn't written this dumb play, none of this would've happened."

To Kris's surprise it was Dean who came to the plays defense, "Okay. First of all, the play is not dumb."

Maeve looked at Dean in disbelief, "I thought you didn't believe in this interpretation?"

Dean snorted, "Yeah, I don't, like, at all. But you do. Ok?"

Kris could see what Dean was trying to do "Marie," she said getting the girls focus, "right now, you need to believe in it. That way we can kill Calliope, save your friends, and end this. Can you do that?"

"Yea. You're right." She set the bag on the counter and faced herself in the mirror. "Ok. Let's do this. I understudy Sam, so," she grabbed a wig off the counter and gives it a small fluff. "I used this for my one-woman Orphan Black show, last year. But it's gonna have to work for Sam." She slapped the wig on and stared at her face in the mirror. "Writer. Director. Actor. I'm gonna Barbra Streisand this bitch."

Kris decided that she was, technically, too young to understand that reference.

* * *

It was show time and while Marie, under Deans close supervision, inspected the entire cast, Kris and Sam headed to the Impala to get the stakes blessed and ready.

"So Kris," Sam said as they shut the Impala's trunk and headed back inside with the stakes hidden inside their jackets. "I've been meaning to ask. What do you think of the show?"

Kris just grinned, "Well it could do without all the 'subtext'. I mean is it really so hard for people to believe that two brothers can love each other enough to go to hell and back for each other, all without turning it into something perverted." Kris stopped, "Okay! Stop, Stop!" She waved her hands as if trying to get the mental picture out of her head. "Dead puppies, dead puppies, dead puppies," she muttered, while closing her eyes. She could hear Sam snickering, but he didn't know that half of it.

"Sorry, I guess I shouldn't laugh," he said as a way of apology. "It's just funny how much it bothers you and Dean."

Kris stopped and pulled the door to the auditorium open, "Well, show time I guess."

The auditorium was pretty full, not shoulder to shoulder full, but a pretty damn good turn out considering.

They darted behind the stage curtain and saw the whole cast standing in a line, Marie and Dean appeared to have finished their inspection. Sam handed Dean one of the stakes and nodded appreciatively at the cast, now in full costumes. "Pretty good."

Kris had to agree with him, the girls look pretty damn good. This would be an interesting play.

"Wait a second," Sam said. "Where's Chuck?"

"Who the hell's Chuck?" Kris asked looking over the girls again.

It was Dean who answered, "He's they guy who wrote the books."

Before Kris could comment on it, Marie answered the first question, "Well, I like Chuck and all, but I mean come on. The whole author inserting himself into his own story thing, it's just not my favorite. I kind of hate the meta stories.

"Me too," it was like listening to surround sound with Dean and Sam commenting at the same time.

"Alright Double Mint twins," Kris replied as she rolled her eyes at the two of them.

"Right," Dean said clapping his hands together and getting the girls attention. "I know I have expressed some differences of opinion, regarding this particular version of Supernatural. But tonight, it is all about Marie's vision. This is Marie's Supernatural. So, I want you to get out there, and I want you to stand as close as she wants you to, and I want you to put as much sub and add text, as you possibly can. There is no other road. No other way. No day, but today.

Kris could hear Maeve ask Marie if Dean had just quoted Rent and Marie's response of not enough to get them in trouble.

"Now, you get out there, and you kick it in the ass!"

The girls brought in their hands, while Kris hung back with Sam and Dean. "GHOOOOOST-FACERSSSSS!"

Kris looked confused and was about to ask Sam what the hell that was about, but Dean stopped her, "Don't ask," was all he said.

The cast took their places while Marie gave the introduction. Kris stayed with Maeve while Sam and Dean scouted behind the scenes, looking for the Scarecrow.

"…so, those of you in the front rows may want to use the ponchos we provided for you, under your seats. You may, in fact, get wet on this ride. Um, I would like to thank the, uh, cast and crew…"

Kris rolled her eyes, "She's stalling, Maeve. Lets get this rolling."

Maeve gave a sharp nod, "Curtain kids, it's show time." The music started, cutting Marie off and eliciting a few giggles from the audience.

After listening to the music for the last 24 hours, it became background noise to Kris. She patted Maeve on the shoulder, then head into the riggings. The idea was for Sam and Dean to scout behind the stage, looking for the Scarecrow, while Kris kept an eyes on Marie. She was the last line of defense and from her vantage point above the stage she was able to follow the boys, while keeping Marie in her line of sight.

Walking across the catwalk, Kris could see out into the audience, they seemed to be enjoying the opening scene and this brought a smile to her face. She had to admit, after getting over the initial shock of it, the play was pretty good.

Part way though the opening song Kris noticed the Scarecrow materialize off stage and right behind Sam. "Shit," she mumbled as she tried to get his attention with out drawing attention to herself. Sam glanced up, nodded his head and gave her a thumbs up

"Turn Around!" Kris yelled at him.

Kris bolted across the catwalk, not caring is she was making too much noise. The Scarecrow managed to wrap Sam up and was walking backwards towards the set, but with no way to get down she couldn't help, until she saw the rope. She took a deep breath leaped over the catwalk railing, grabbed the rope and slide down it, ignoring the burning sensation in her hands.

The landing was anything but graceful, but it did the job. The force of landing on the Scarecrows head separated Sam from it but this left Kris kneeling between the two of them. She could feel the vines wrapping around her ankles and waist, she looked up just as Dean came around the corner. "Protect Marie," Kris hissed at them before everything went black.


	25. Chapter 25

**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**

 _ **Chapter 25**_

 _ **Curtain Call**_

The last thing Kris registered was the look of dread on her fathers face and the look of shock on her uncle's. The next thing to register in her mind was something cold against her right check.

"Agent Johnson?" came a voice from above her.

"Maggie," Kris said as she pulled herself into a seated position. Maggie was kneeling in front of her, and right behind her stood a women, Kris took for Ms. Chandler. "Where are we?"

Maggie stood up and offered her hand to Kris, "The basement. The Scarecrow brought us down here."

"How long have I been out?" Kris asked, taking the offered hand and getting to her feet.

It was Ms. Chandler who answered, "Only a few moments. It kind of dropped you off and vanished."

Kris took a moment to take in her surroundings, "Are we still at the school?"

Maggie nodded, "Yea the basement."

Kris moved towards the door. "They're locked," Chandler told her. "I've been pounding on them for days, no one hears it." Kris halted her movement, and faced the teacher and student.

"So, were stuck here?"

"That's right," a feminine voice told her. Kris turned towards the voice and was met with a tall brunet, wearing a lavender dress with borage flowers on the bottom, that screamed old Greek. "You're going to miss the big show."

Two things happened at once, first Kris was actually pissed that she was going to miss the show and the second, being tossed into the wall beside the door before taking a single step towards Calliope.

Her head collided with the wall and for just a moment everything went black, but just a moment. When her vision cleared Maggie and Ms. Chandler had moved off to her left, but Calliope in the same place across from her.

"You know," she was saying. "I have consumed many authors and many stories. But tonight, the moment that curtain opened, I just knew there was something special about this one." Calliope directed her eyes upwards, as she moved past Maggie and Ms. Chandler, coming closer to Kris, "I figured it must be because the stories actual subjects are here. Guess I'll have to kill them to find out."

Kris's stomach dropped, "No, you have to wait till the vision is realized."

Calliope stopped and rolled her eyes, "Oh gods!." She turned away from Kris, "If I have to sit thorough that second act, one more time!" She turned, moved right next to Kris and leaned in close, as if sharing a secret. "There's robots, and tentacles in space." She shuddered, just thinking about it, "I can't even."

Fighting against the bonds that held her, Kris asked, "So why Supernatural, huh? I'm sure there are plenty other, more professionally done, plays. You know, I heard that Wicked is just amazing."

Calliope ignored her struggles and brushed back a strain a Kris's hair, "Well, Supernatural has everything, Life, death, resurrection, redemption. But above all family." She grabbed Kris around the throat, "Family who are more then willing to die for each other. Well in your case, change history." She squeezed, cutting off her air supply, "All set to music you can really tap your toes to. It's…" she sighed and looked up, "epic." She looked Kris square in the eyes, no matter how hard Kris took in air it wasn't enough, she could feel herself about to pass out. "And that, well, that is my bag of tea."

As her vision started to get blurry she could see Maggie behind Calliope, holding a substantial looking book..

"BAG THIS!" Maggie yelled as she brought the book, hard as she could, upside Calliope's head.

Calliope's hand left Kris's throat and Kris dropped to the ground. She recovered quickly when she saw Calliope turn her attention to the girl who had pretty much just saved her ass. She reached behind her back, grabbed the stake still at the small of her back, charged the Muse and buried the stake as deep as she could into Calliope's back.

"You're not touching my family," Kris hissed in Calliope's ear. She stepped back as Calliope exploded in a burst of purple goo.

Wiping the goop out of her eyes, Kris swept her eyes towards the other ladies still in the basement with her. "So, want to catch the second act?

 **I-I-I-I**

Once Calliope was dead, the door in the basement opened with no problem. Kris made her way back to the auditorium after explaining to Maggie and Ms. Chandler it would be in their best interest to come up with a story to explain their absence. Finding Sam and Dean was easy, Sam was waiting for Dean, while Dean seemed to be having a final word with Marie, so Kris waited with him.

"So, what did I miss?" Kris asked sarcastically.

"Oh you know, the usual," Sam informed her, nudging her in the shoulder with his elbow.

"Let me guess, Sam saved the day."

Sam actually smiled, "Yea but no this one." He nodded to where Dean and Marie were talking by the Impala. Kris didn't miss the symbolism. "That Sam did."

The lights started blinking and out of habit, Kris's hand twitched towards her back pocket. But it was just the cue that the second act was about to start.

Dean stared walking towards them when Marie called him back, called him back by his real name. She handed him something and he tried to give it back, but it seemed she wasn't taking no for an answer. As he turned back towards Sam and Kris, he was putting what ever it was in his jacket pocket.

He cast on last look over his shoulder before joining Sam and Kris. "So," Kris asked as the curtain went up, "What did she give you?"

He didn't answer. "Well, I guess we can go back to staring at motel room walls," Dean said with a sigh.

Kris sighed with him, "You know you guys don't have to sequester yourselves."

"You know what, Dean?" Sam looked over Kris's head at his brother. "Kris is right. We need-"

But what ever line Sam was about to say seemed to be playing out on the stage.

"We need to get back on the road, Dean." Marie, as Sam was saying. "Doing what we do best."

"It's just…I don't know anymore." Siobhan replied.

Kris actually whispered the next line just loud enough for Sam and Dean to hear her. "Saving people, hunting things. You know. The family business."

They both looked at her. "I've been watching them rehearse," she hissed at them. "I could do the whole show if I wanted to."

"You're right, Sammy." Kris returned her attention to the stage, "Out on the road just the two of us."

Marie was looking right at the Dean, "The two of us against the world."

There was a slight pause, then Kris heard Sam whisper over her head, "What she said."

Kris didn't look at either of them., just smiled to herself as she thought, ' _Plus one._ '

The cover song of Carry On Wayward Son started up. Kris listened to the words and it hit her, the real reason Marie may have chosen this song. The lyrics easily apply to her dad and uncle's life. With the exception of there being peace. There would never be peace for her family as long as evil of any kind walk this planet.

Sam cleared his throat, "Well, as this is the part where Sam and Dean," he nodded to the girls on stage, "head off into the sunset. I'm thinking we should all do the same."

"You two go ahead," Kris started to say but Dean cut her off.

"Really! After all that you still want to watch the show?"

Maeve shushed him and for a moment Dean looked chastened.

Kris grinned and continued, "Look, you two don't have to worry about sticking around. I drove myself here and I'll drive myself back."

If Kris wasn't mistaken there was actual relief in both men's eyes. There was a quick grin, nod and Dean was headed out.

Sam patted Kris on her shoulder, "Enjoy the show, see ya back at the bunker." Sam followed after Dean and Kris suck off stage on into an empty seat.

The second act was a lot more enjoyable for Kris, it helped that there was nothing trying to kill any of the actors.

It was after the show, while Kris was sitting her in seat, waiting to congratulate Marie on a job well done, when an older man wearing a blue shirt with a gold corduroy jacket walked past her. She didn't give him a second thought until she noticed Maeve running up to Marie, who was saying bye to the last of her fans. Maeve pointed to the man standing just in front of Kris and Marie got a really excited look on her face. Kris stood up and was about to ask the man who he was when Marie rushed up to him.

"Um, Hi. Thank you so much for coming!" She was actually sound like she was fan-girling. "Uh, I know the second act is a little bit wanky, and the first act had some issues, but…well. What did you think?"

There was only one person, Kris could think of, that Marie would actually care about their opinion of her master piece. The one who originally wrote the stories, Chuck Shirley.

There was a bit of pause, then Chuck gave a slight nod and answered, "Not bad."

You would think Marie had just been given a Tony Award the way her face light-up. Marie noticed Kris standing behind Chuck, "OH! Right…um this is Kris Johnson. She, well, um…"

Kris held out her hand, "Actually it's Richardson, and I am a new fan of the Supernatural series."


	26. Chapter 26

**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**

 ** _Chapter 26_**

 ** _Rowena_**

"Hey Sam!" Kris called out, as she came into the War room from the garage.

Sam's head popped up from whatever book he was reading, "What is it Kris?"

She held out the phone she had found, "Found this while I was cleaning Baby."

Sam took the phone realized who it once belonged to and smiled, "Yea, this was one of Bobby's."

"Right, there are a few voice mails, the most recent from a few days ago. Apparently, a woman named Bunny LaCroix has named Bobby a beneficiary in her will. Interested?"

Tossing the phone back to her Sam shook his head, "Naw, I think we're good in that department."

Kris shrugged and set the phone on the table, while Sam went back to reading the book. She took the seat across from him, "So, what'cha reading?"

"Well I am looking for more lore on the Mark of Cain."

"Sam, we have all been over these books. The Men of Letters have nothing useful about the Mark."

"It couldn't hurt to double check."

Kris sighed and leaned back in her chair, "More like quadruple check. If there is anything useful about The Mark, it has to be somewhere in the tablets."

Sam closed the book, "It took Kevin months to decipher the demon tablet. It's going to take him even longer to crack the angel tablet because Metatrone did something to it. I'm getting the feeling Dean is running out of time. You think I don't see what that mark is doing to him?"

"Hey guys." Dean came around the corner, closing his phone and carrying a newspaper under his arm, "I think I might have us a hunt."

Kris and Sam looked over at him, "What is it?"

Dean skidded to a stop, "Whoa. That was weird." A quick shake of his head and he continued with what he had been saying. "I got a text from a hunter friend of mine, guy named Darrell. He's been working a case in Cleveland, a series of grisly hotel murder. One at the Kensington, another at the Waldorf. Bodies stabbed and impaled on the ceiling.

Sam returned to his reading, "Sounds more homicidal maniac than one of ours.

Dean grinned, "So did Darrell, until he looked at the autopsy, actual cause of death, their brains were boiled in their skulls.

This got Kris's attention. "Why does that sound so familiar," she whispered under her breath."

"Darrell thinks it's a witch." Dean slid the newspaper towards her, "Then there was this from yesterday."

"Waiter Drops Dead at Bistro Des Moules," Kris read off.

Sam chuckled, "How do you even know those are relate…."

Kris interrupted, "'While the Medical Examiner would not confirm COD, witnesses say the waiter's head turned red and his skin started to peel away. 'It was like he head was burning up from the inside,' one witness was overheard saying.'" She tapped the paper with her finger, "I should know this." The answer was right there but she couldn't wrap her head around it.

Sam shut the book he had been reading, "Sounds like a hex, so witch it is."

"Well, I'll give this to the witch," Dean said, "she's got deep pockets. The Kensington, the Waldorf, this restaurant, that can't be cheap." Pushing the paper aside, Kris pulled her laptop towards her. "What are you looking up?"

She grinned, "Our witch likes the expensive shit, so I'm looking up all the five star hotels within four blocks of the that restaurant." A few clicks and Kris had pulled up two hotels that suited her criteria. "There's the Ritz and the Intercontinental, both are five stars and both are within the four blocks."

"Great," Dean said. "Let's go bag a witch."

Dean parked the Impala two blocks between the two hotels. The plan was simple, divide and conquer. Sam would go to the Intercontinental, while she and Dean checked out the Ritz. There had been a small debate about who would go where and in true Winchester fashion it had been decided by rock, paper, scissors. Kris had won and chosen the Ritz, than Dean had said he would go with her, surprising Kris.

"So," Kris asked as Dean held open the emergency exit for her, "what are we planning to do once we find this witch?"

Before she could ask anything else, Dean held his finger to his lips and nodded down the hall. Four people had just come around the far side of hallway. Two women dressed like hookers being dragged by a shorter man in a black and gray hoodie. A red-head with her mouth gagged and hands tied behind her back, being hauled off by another red head in a black leather jacket.

"What about us?" the brunet asked. "I'm not going back to that place."

"Operation Skank has been terminated," The female demon tossed behind her.

Kris saw Dean nod and she slid an angel blade from her sleeve, resting it in the palm of her hand.

"The only place you two are going, is the dumpster out back." Red-head demon was so busy insulting the girls behind her she didn't notice that Dean and Kris had stepped right into her path.

Dean stabbed the female demon in the stomach with the angel blade, a quick flash and she fell to the ground, dead. He turned his attention to the male demon, but the demon was ready. Quickly blocking the blade, the demon used Dean's momentum to toss him to the side.

In the confusion, Kris saw that the blond and brunette had released the red-head, who lead them to the end of the hallway.

Kris parried a blow from the demon, grabbed his wrist, twisted it behind him and slammed him into the wall. A quick jab from his elbow and she lost her grip on him, allowing him to slither out of her grasp. Kris turned to face him and his fist connected with her jaw sending her crashing down hard on her hands and knees. She raised up onto her knees and just grinned up at her advancing attacker.

"What are you grinning at," he asked with a sneer on his face.

"Nothing" Kris replied, getting to her feet. "It's just that Dean Winchester is behind you."

Before he could turn to confirm it, Dean came up and stabbed him in the back with the angel blade. As he falls Dean commented, "I vaguely remember someone else saying something like that."

"So, sue me for not being original." Kris grinned than turned her attention down the hall and got a good look at the red-haired witch, "Rowena?!"

Rowena grinned at Kris, clearly not knowing who she was, "Always nice to be recognized."

Dean stared at Rowena, "You know her?" Kris nodded but didn't elaborate on it.

The blonde turned to Rowena yelling for her to do something. Looking to the blonde, Rowena smirked, "That's an excellent idea." She pulled another hex bag from her pocket and placed it in the blonde's hands, "Impetus bestiarum."

"Shit," Kris said, pushing Dean aside as the blonde hunched over and screamed out in pain.

"What! What did she do?"

"An attack spell!" Kris yelled trying to hold the blonde's arms at her side, but when she raised her head, her eyes were blood shot and there was a trickle of blood coming out of her nose.

"Not bad," she heard Rowena comment, "The girl knows her Latin."

The blonde head butted Kris, knocking her to the ground. In the time, it took her to regain her vision, Dean was on the floor beside her and both Rowena and the other girl were fleeing down the hall.

Kris got to her feet, pulling Dean with her, then pushed Dean towards the fleeing ladies, "Go! I got this!" He didn't wait for a second command.

The blonde charged after Dean, but Kris was quicker. She ducked under her wild swing, wrapping her up around the waist and pushing her hard enough into the wall to smack the back of blonde's head against it. Kris let her go and backed away from her. She felt something poke her in the back and realized it was the door handle to a linen closet.

"Please," Blonde said, getting Kris's attention. "I can't stop myself."

Kris nodded as she twisted the handle behind her, "I know, and I'm sorry."

Blonde charged, and opening the door with her, Kris moved to the side and shoved Blonde in the back, pushing her all the way into the closet. She slammed it shut and braced her back against it, knowing she would have to hold the door closed until the curse ran it course. Blonde was pounding on the door, hard enough to cause cracks to form, "Let Me Out!"

Still Kris held it shut. "I'm so sorry," Kris kept repeating.

Just when she thought the door would not be able to take any more abuse, the pounding stopped followed by the sound of a body collapsing to the floor. She stood there with her back against the beat-up door, trying to catch her breath. She turned to face the door and even went so far as to reach out to open it, but stopped. Taking a step back, Kris took a deep breath, let it out, turned and walked away.

Kris rushed out of the hotel and into the ally where she skidded to a stop. Cole was standing there with a gun on Dean. _'How the hell did he get here?_ ' she thought to herself as she reached for her gun, but Dean noticed and gave a quick shake of his head. So, she stood there quietly behind Cole and waited.

"What I do is hunt monsters. Cole, your dad was a monster." Dean kept his voice steady and eyes locked on Cole.

Cole snickered, "Yeah, you say that now, but last time, you couldn't even remember his name."

Without missing a beat Dean said, "2003, Nyack, New York, Ed Trenton. I was working a case. Three dead, livers ripped out and eaten by your father."

Just the fact that Dean could remember a specific hunt from thirteen years ago, was impressive to Kris

"Liver?" Cole asked in disbelief.

Dean nodded, "Yeah, I tracked him down that night to your house." Before Dean could continue his eyes flicked up. "No," Dean said pointing to just behind Kris, "Sammy put it down."

Kris looked over and was surprised to see Sam there with his gun drawn and pointed at the back of Cole's head. She hadn't even heard him.

Cole swung around, pointing his gun at Sam, instinctively Kris drew her own, stepping beside her father, ready to have his back

"No," Dean repeated. "put your guns down, we're talking."

Kris saw a quick look pass between Sam and Dean, and her father lowered his gun. Then slowly moved his hand to push hers down as well. After a quick glance towards Sam, she tucked it at her back.

"Cole," Dean said getting his attention. "hey, right here. We're talking okay."

Cole swung his gun back to Dean, and Kris felt Sam tense up beside her. He didn't like a gun pointed at his brother any more then she liked one pointed at her father.

"What kind of monster was he?"

Dean shook his head, "I don't know. Never saw the thing before, never seen it again."

"Sounds like a Kumiho," Kris chimed in. "It's a Korean shapeshifter, likes to pray on livers. Very rare to see one outside of its homeland." Kris noticed Cole slightly turn his head towards her but kept his gun on Dean. "Usually only pops up once within a fifty-year cycle, consumes five livers then returns to hibernate."

"No," Cole said, "I heard his voice. It was human, and he begged you to stop!" He shook the gun at Dean.

Dean shook his head, "I know what you heard, but that was not your father."

"Unlike American Shifters," Kris said taking a step closer to Cole, ignoring Sam's small attempt to stop her, "Kumiho's don't need to keep the person they shift into alive. They kill them immediately." Kris was standing right next to him, "Cole, your father was gone long before Dean ever stepped foot into your home. That thing killed him and it would have killed you or your mom." Cole didn't move, but Kris could see his eyes welling up. "You have a family Cole," Kris told him. "I heard you on the phone that night."

"How can I believe you," Cole whispered. "This, this has been my whole life."

Dean moved closer to Cole as well, but made no attept to take the gun. "I get it. That was your story. But those stories that we tell to keep us going, sometimes they blind us. They take us to dark places, the kind of place where I might beat the crap out of a good man just for the fun of it. The people who love me, they pulled me back from that edge." He looked to Sam. "Cole, once you touch that darkness... It never goes away. I know how my story ends. It's at the edge of a blade or the barrel of a gun. So, the question is, is that going to be today? Is it going to be that gun?"

"Cole," Sam told him, "your family needs you to come back, and they need you to come back whole." There were a few precious moments were Kris wasn't sure what Cole was going to do.

Than the gun wobbled, and with tears in his eyes, Cole handed the gun to Dean. Dean took it and Kris saw Cole's shoulders slump forward. What happened next Kris would later blame on the fact that she was her mother's daughter. She wrapped the man who had threaten to slit her and her father's throat, up in her arms and comforted him.


	27. Chapter 27

**Time Can't Heal All Wounds**

 _ **Chapter 27**_

 _ **The Grimoire**_

Later that night, while Dean and Sam saw Cole off, Kris sat in the hotel room thinking about what Dean had said to Cole, Rowena all but forgotten. She'd overheard him tell Sam he'd told Cole what he needed to hear, but even she could tell he was lying. Dean had told Cole what he believed about himself, that he really was a lost cause.

Kris's entire focus, since arriving, had been to save Sam. To keep Sam from dying at the hands of his brother and for the longest time, she had been willing to sacrifice Dean if it was necessary.

Now having meet the man before he turned, seeing the way Sam interacts with him, how they hunt together, and just how much Dean cares for his little brother, Kris finally realized how truly devastated her father had been by Dean's betrayal.

She also realized, for the first time, it wasn't just about saving Sam. When she first got here, nearly a year ago, she had told Kevin she couldn't kill Dean. She'd been lying then. If it came down to it, she would have put a bullet between his eyes. Now that she knew Dean, the real Dean, she had to save him as well, and ending his life, as her father had suggested, was no longer an option.

Kris knew, in the whole world, there was only one person who was expendable. She just hoped it wouldn't come to that, and if it ever did, she prayed she would have the strength to do it.

Her phone vibrated, causing her to jump a little.

She answered it, "Hey Kevin,"

"Good you answered," he sounded excited. "I found something on the angel tablet, but I don't want to say over the phone. Get here as quick as possible."

Smiling on the inside Kris started gathering her things, "I'll let Dean and Sam know."

"No, no, no," Kevin interrupted. "This is something for your eyes only. You, and only you, have to get here now."

"Kevin," Kris said pausing for a moment in her packing, "I am in the middle of Chicago, I drove with Dean and Sam, and I have no vehicle of my own."

"So, steal one."

"Ha!" Kris laughed as she zipped up her bag, "this coming from the kid who won't commit grand larceny in a game designed for grand theft auto."

There was a short pause. "Kris, you have got to get here now, it's time sensitive and," he took another deep breath and whispered into the phone, "it's not something Sam would let his daughter do. Call Gadreel if you have to."

For Kevin to use Gadreel's name, without hesitation, told Kris this was incredible serious. "As soon as I hang up with you, I'll leave a note for Sam and Dean, then call Gadreel. I'll see you within the hour." She didn't wait for a response, but hung up and tucked the phone in her back pocket as she scribbled a quick note to Sam, explaining where she was going, although she left out the how. She gathered her bag and slipped out the door, pausing long enough to slide the note under their door.

It took a Gadreel about twenty minutes to answer her call.

"As much as I enjoy your company," he told her once she had explained why she called for his help, "I am not a taxi service." His tone tried to say he was upset but his eyes told her he was happy to help.

"I wouldn't have called you at all, but when Kevin suggests I use you to help get me there quicker, you know he's found something importaint."

Gadreel let out a mock sigh, then opened his arms to her, "Let's go see the Prophet."

Kris smiled and stepped into his embrace. She found it was easier to ignore the feel of the strong wind pulling at her hair and clothing with her eyes closed. Harder to ignore was the impression of not being able to feel the rest of her body. The only thing she could really feel, were Gadreel's arms wrapped tight around her, securing her to his chest.

Just as quick as the sensations started, they ended. The only thing she like about traveling by angel was how quick it was. However, it still made her sick, but at least this time she was expecting it.

The moment she could feel herself, she turned her head to the side and threw-up. Again, Gadreel was holding back her hair. "Guess, you will never get use to traveling like that."

Kris shook her head as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, "Probable not, but at least this time I knew it was going to happen."

"Wow!" came a long-forgotten voice. Kris faced the speaker. There were two of them, a man, Garth, and a woman, his wife Beth. It was clear that Garth had spoken, and he had his fingers intertwined with Beth.

"Garth, Beth," Kris said out loud, "It's nice to see you." That was when she noticed that Beth had a glass of water and was holding it out to Kris.

"It's nice to finally meet you in person, Kris. Kevin said you might need this when you got here."

Kris smiled at her as she took the offered glass, "Thanks, he wasn't wrong." She took a mouthful, swished then spit it out before taking a real drink. "Where is he?"

Beth nodded towards the farmhouse, "He's inside, waiting."

Gadreel kept a hand on Kris's waist, he told himself it was due to her unsteadiness, as the two of them followed Garth and Beth into their home.

Beth's father, Jim Myers, and Kevin's mom, Linda Tran, met them on the porch. Kris smiled at the two of them, as she held out her hand to Jim.

"It's nice to meet you," Kris told him. But in her mind, she was thinking back to when she had meet him the first time. It was shortly after her ordeal with Dark Dean. Sam had wanted her to get out of the bunker for a little, and even though the werewolves would have been no match for Dark Dean, Sam knew they were safer than nothing.

As Jim shook her hand, Kris noticed his nose twitching. "I'm sorry to ask this," Jim commented, still holding her hand. "But have we met before, you smell a little familiar."

Kris smiled, glad Sam wasn't there. The first time she had met Jim, Sam had been with her and Jim had been able to tell she was his daughter. "No," she told him, still smiling, "you haven't met me before."

He seemed to shake it off as he led them into the house, where Keven was sitting at a family size kitchen table. Both tablets sat to his right and he seemed busy scribbling something down in a notebook. He didn't glance up until Kris put a hand on his shoulder.

"Kevin."

"Hey, Kris," he said smiling as he stood up. "You got here really quick."

She gestured over her shoulder, where Gadreel was talking to Beth and Garth. Garth kept patting him on the back and laughing. Gadreel seemed unsure what to make of the werewolf. "You did make it sound importaint."

Kris didn't miss the slight jerking movement Kevin's shoulders did, "If it hadn't been time sensitive, I wouldn't have." He turned back to the table, and Kris took the seat opposite him. "I managed to translate the parts of the demon tablet that Metatron tried to keep hidden, I then had to cross translate it with the angel tablet." He slid the notebook towards Kris, "Turns out when Metatron fled heaven, he took every tablet to Earth with him and gave them all to the first Prophet, who then translated every single spell, charm, curse, summoning, banishment, basically every magical thing God created into a single book."

Kris grimaced a little and asked, "What book?" She held her breath.

"The Grimoire, the first spell book." Kris hid her sigh of relief. "A book that contains everything, and here's the kicker part. Let's say someone creates a new spell the first Prophet didn't put in The Grimoire, well the moment that person casts the spell, boom, it's in The Grimoire. Every dark and light magic spell is in that book."

"You said curse's too," Kris repeated, liking where this could go. "Would that include the Mark of Cain."

It was Kevin smiling now, "It should." He flipped his notebook forward a couple pages, "But this is where the time sensitive part comes in."

"Oh, please don't tell me it can only be found on a certain day, at a certain time, and only if the sun, the moon, or the stars are correctly lined up."

Kevin laughed, "Nothing like that." He pulled a couple of papers from under the notebook. "Found this on the internet. Four years ago, the Chicago Field Museum of Natural History was loaned a small collection of artifacts from the Iraq government. In it was an old tattered book. The curator stated that it's in remarkable condition for something so old, he can't even it date. The materials used to create it are extinct. Hell, he can't even identify what was used to write it with, let alone how to translate it."

"Kevin," Kris interrupted, "you're rambling and you said this was time sensitive part."

Kevin shook his head and smiled, "Yea, sorry, the time sensitive part. They are moving the collection back to Iraq in a week and after that it will be impossible to find."

Kris sighed and rubbed her temples, "So I need to get to Chicago and steal The Grimoire before we lose it. Wonderful."


End file.
